Trump Claims China Interfered in 2020 US Election to Block His Victory

Former US President Donald Trump delivered a special address to the nation on Friday night, alleging foreign interference in the 2020 US presidential election. Trump focused on claims that China infiltrated voter registration databases in 18 states, accessing 220 million voter records to prevent his reelection. He argued China feared his tariff policies and military strengthening. However, Trump did not provide evidence that China used this data to alter election outcomes in the US. The only concrete interference he cited was in Venezuela, where he claimed China helped rig elections to secure Nicolás Maduro's win.

Trump also accused the "deep state" and senior government and intelligence officials of deliberately withholding intelligence about Chinese interference from him. He stated authorities found 278,000 registered voters who were either non-citizens or deceased, out of over 160 million registered voters. The speech was part of an effort to pressure Congress to pass legislation requiring voter ID and citizenship proof for voting, aiming to restrict mail-in voting, which traditionally benefits Democrats. This move also sought to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 election and upcoming midterms, where Republicans are expected to lose.

Following the speech, the White House published intelligence documents supporting Trump's claims, and the Department of Homeland Security planned a press conference to present the information. The address came amid ongoing political debates over election integrity and voting laws in the US.