‘China Acquired 220 Million US Voters’ File’: Trump Alleges Massive 2020 Election Data Compromise
United States President Donald Trump on Friday alleged that China orchestrated the “largest compromise” of election data in American history, claiming newly declassified intelligence showed Beijing illicitly acquired the personal information of 220 million US voters during the 2020 election cycle.
Speaking in a televised prime-time address from the White House, Trump announced that his administration was declassifying intelligence documents detailing what he described as “shocking vulnerabilities” in the US election system.
“Over a period of years, starting during the 2020 election cycle, 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 US voter files,” Trump said.
‘Unprecedented Election Security Nightmare’
According to Trump, the files allegedly obtained by China included “names, addresses, phone numbers, political party preferences, and other sensitive data that would be needed to register to vote, and engage in other nefarious activities.”
“This data loss presents an unprecedented election security nightmare. The intelligence even shows that China assigned a data exploitation unit specifically to this new project,” he added.
Trump further claimed that members of the “deep state” had sought to minimise evidence of Chinese interference in US elections.
‘China Fought Like Hell Not To Have Trump Win’
“Tens of millions of voter days have been bought, stolen or hacked,” he said, while alleging there had been a “cover up of this colossal security breach… They fought like hell not to have Trump win.”
The US President also claimed that intelligence indicated China had begun efforts in mid-2018 to influence American politics.
“In mid 2018, China’s policy was to make the US President resign,” Trump said. He further alleged that Beijing was “working on US midterm elections” and had “attempted to turn US businesses against the President” while paying “journalists to write negative articles about the US President.”
Trump also alleged that intelligence agencies withheld information from the White House during the previous administration.
“Dozens of CIA and NSA reports were kept out of presidential briefings during former President Joe Biden’s briefing regarding Chinese activity related to elections,” he claimed.
He further alleged that investigators had discovered “burnt bags … bags used to destroy information, given by former President Barack Obama.”
‘Electronic Voting Systems Are Compromised’
In another set of declassified documents, Trump claimed electronic voting systems used in the US had been compromised.
“Americans lied about electronic machines, etc. They were compromised,” he said, adding, “We are making a public intel assessment.”
“Govs know machines are exposed to attack,” Trump said, citing intelligence reports that, according to him, showed “Russia, China, Iran, North Korea have capabilities to harm the US elections.”
Trump has repeatedly maintained that the 2020 presidential election was marred by widespread fraud.
However, multiple recounts, audits and investigations, including reviews conducted by his own Justice Department, did not find evidence of fraud that could have changed the outcome of the election.
Additionally, more than 60 lawsuits filed by Trump and his allies failed to produce court rulings establishing election fraud sufficient to overturn the results.
