Donald Trump accused China of infiltrating 220 million American voter files in what he called the biggest election meddling scheme in history in a dramatic primetime address to the nation from the White House.
The President also accused Venezuela of being behind a campaign to influence US elections and claimed the ‘deep state’ was part of a widespread cover-up in a speech that revived his allegations of fraud in his 2020 loss to Joe Biden.
‘The People’s Republic of China carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history, resulting in China’s illicit acquisition of 220 million U.S. voter files,’ the President alleged.
‘That information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, political party preferences, and other sensitive data,’ he added.
No evidence of voting machine insecurity or fraud in the 2020 electionΒ has been established. Trump’s claims have come under heightened scrutiny; some major broadcast networks like ABC and NBC refused to carry his remarks live.
‘In a rare move, NBC and ABC fake news have both said that they would not cover this speech,’ Trump stated. ‘They know how corrupt our system is and … They and others in the media are part of a plot.’
AΒ March 2021 US intelligence report assessed that China did not deployΒ interference efforts.’ It also concluded that BeijingΒ considered but did not deploy influence operations on the 2020 election.Β
Trump claimed that China wanted him to lose the 2020 election. ‘I was wise to them, charged them billions and billions of dollars worth of tariffs,’ Trump said of his first term.Β
President Donald Trump announced a primetime speech for Thursday evening where he accused China of accessing 220 million American voter files
He also accused ex-dictator of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro of conspiring to meddle in US elections
Trump also announced the release of hundreds of previously classified files about US elections.
Referencing newly declassified files, Trump said that some documents reveal ‘that members of the deep state’ worked to ‘actively suppress and downplay information about the extent of China’s sinister election rally.’
Referring to another newly released CIA report, Trump said the Nicolas Maduro regime developed methods to digitally alter vote totals in ways that could not be detected, even with an audit, no matter how deep they went.’
The 2021 report also claims that though ex-Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro may have wanted to sway US public opinion against Trump during the 2020 election, he lacked the ability to do so.Β
The President has maintained for the better part of a decade that he won the 2020 election against Joe Biden.Β
The administration has been investigating the circumstances of Trump’s 2020 loss, including the seizure of election records in Fulton County, Georgia, the hotly contested area around Atlanta.
The President’s fresh allegations about the 2020 election had his MAGA supporters in an uproar about the alleged plot against the Republican.
‘This may be the most important Oval Office address since the Cuban Missile Crisis,’ Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno wrote on X. ‘The time for complacency with China is over.’
Trump accused China of accessing 220 million American voter files
United States Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was spotted in February after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant for the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center
Meanwhile, Democrats bemoaned the address as a tireless rehashing of the Republican’s longstanding gripes and that his claims lacked evidence.Β
Beyond the White House, a significant portion of Republicans believe the 2020 election was ‘stolen.’Β
According to an April Reuters poll, nearly two in three Republicans (63 percent) agree that the 2020 contest was stolen from Trump via election fraud.Β
One in five (21 percent) independents agreed, while just 9 percent of Democrats also said the 2020 election was taken from Trump.Β
The speech comes amid the backdrop of the administration’s efforts to have the Senate pass the SAVE America Act.Β
If passed, the measure implements election reforms such as requiring proof of US citizenship to register or update voter registrations for federal elections.Β
It also would mandate the removal of noncitizens from voter rolls and force states to check federal databases to see if voters are allowed to cast ballots.Β
The measure has passed the House but has been stalled in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to pass, including support from a handful of Senate Democrats.Β
Critics say the bill establishes barriers preventing eligible voters from casting ballots, while proponents argue it secures the electoral process.Β
The White House announced the address on Monday but gave few details about what the special event would focus on.Β
The following day, the President teased, ‘What weβre going to talk about Thursday, it doesnβt get bigger because without free and fair elections, you donβt have a country.’
‘Weβll be discussing other things too, but itβs going to be a very big announcement’
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Thursday said that the US ‘Should have the safest and most secure elections in the history of the world … and what the President will be speaking about tonight will show you that perhaps that is not the case.’
Certain broadcasters were concerned about the speech; ABC and NBC chose to stream the remarks as opposed to broadcasting them on their networks.Β
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