Trump Claims China Stole 2020 Election Votes in Controversial White House Speech

Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a dramatic speech from the White House early Friday, reiterating his claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen through foreign interference, specifically accusing China. Trump alleged that China illegally obtained data from approximately 220 million American voter registration records and announced he had declassified documents purportedly proving foreign meddling in the election system. He criticized the U.S. intelligence community for allegedly hiding the extent of Chinese activities and attacked the so-called "deep state."

The speech, lasting about 25 minutes, came less than four months before the November midterm elections, where Republicans aim to retain their congressional majority. Despite Trump's assertions, the U.S. intelligence community's 2021 assessment found no evidence that China or any foreign actor altered technical aspects of the 2020 election, including voter records or vote counts. Some of the declassified documents released by the White House contradicted Trump's claims, with one focusing on Venezuelan elections and another noting the difficulty of large-scale vote manipulation. Another document acknowledged Chinese efforts to collect information and infiltrate political entities but found no intent to covertly influence election outcomes at that time.

China's embassy in Washington rejected the accusations, stating Beijing has never and will never interfere in U.S. elections. Trump continued to question the 2020 election results despite multiple court rulings, recounts, and official audits finding no widespread fraud that could have changed the outcome. He used the speech to urge Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require photo ID for voting and proof of citizenship during registration, and mandate states to share voter registration data with the federal government. The bill faces opposition in the Senate, with Democrats and voting rights groups arguing it could disenfranchise eligible voters.

Trump also criticized California's vote counting system as worse than any "third world" country due to delays in certifying results, although no evidence links these delays to fraud. Major U.S. TV networks like ABC, NBC, and CNN chose not to air the speech live on their main channels, while Fox News broadcast it in full and CBS aired a special program. Trump accused the media of being part of a conspiracy for not giving the speech full coverage.

Despite ongoing military tensions with Iran, Trump briefly mentioned the conflict, claiming the U.S. is "winning big" and promising soon results without elaborating. Democrats suggested the speech aimed to lay groundwork for contesting midterm election results if Republicans lose. Meanwhile, the Biden administration reportedly prepares to significantly expand military strikes against Iran amid escalating hostilities.