Trump claims China stole 220 million US voter files
Key Takeaways
- Trump claimed China obtained 220 million US voter files during the 2020 election cycle.
- The US president announced the declassification of intelligence on alleged election security vulnerabilities.
- US intelligence agencies have previously concluded China did not interfere in the 2020 election.
The US president announced the declassification of intelligence he says exposes major election security flaws and alleges unprecedented Chinese interference in 2020
Donald Trump has claimed that newly declassified intelligence exposes major weaknesses in the US election system and alleges that China acquired the personal data of millions of American voters during the 2020 election cycle.
Speaking in a televised address to the nation on Thursday, the US president said the intelligence would be released immediately to the public.
"Every American deserves to know that when they cast their vote, that vote will be counted accurately in a system, and that is to make that system secure. One where cheating and interference are not just difficult but virtually impossible. Unfortunately, the system we have today falls catastrophically short of that standard. Tonight, I'm announcing the immediate declassification and release of critical intelligence, revealing shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure," Trump alleged.
He said the documents revealed significant weaknesses that could leave US elections vulnerable to hacking and foreign interference.
"This evidence shows that the election system we have dangerously exposes, and really exposes like levels never thought possible, to hacking and exploitation and foreign interference," he continued.
Trump then accused China of carrying out what he described as the largest breach of election data in US history.
"The documents cover five major areas of concern. First, they show that 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," he claimed.
Beijing had not responded to the allegations at the time of publication.
The US intelligence community has previously concluded that China did not interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
