'China fought like hell': Trump reveals how Beijing allegedly tried to stop his 2020 re-election

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, July 16, announced the release of newly declassified intelligence documents that he claims show how China carried out a coordinated campaign to influence the 2020 US election and prevent his return to the White House.

Speaking during a primetime address, Trump said the records reveal alleged Chinese efforts to obtain sensitive voter data, influence public opinion, and undermine confidence in his presidency.

The White House simultaneously launched a new government transparency website publishing the documents, describing them as evidence of "major areas of concern" involving election security. China has denied the allegations, maintaining it has never interfered in US presidential elections.

Trump claims declassified files expose China's efforts to influence the 2020 election

Trump alleged that newly declassified intelligence showed China obtained sensitive US voter information 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.

According to Trump, the files allegedly included voter names, addresses, phone numbers, political affiliations, and other personal information. He further claimed Chinese intelligence established a dedicated unit to exploit the data.

He also claimed the documents indicate China worked to influence both the 2018 midterm elections and the 2020 presidential election while pursuing a broader strategy aimed at weakening domestic confidence in his administration.

Trump additionally alleged that Chinese authorities attempted to identify American journalists who had written critically about him and offered financial incentives for additional negative reporting.

"The Chinese government sought to identify US journalists who had reported negatively on the US President, and pay them large sums of money to write more negative articles about him," Trump said.

The president also claimed investigators recently discovered "burn bags" containing material he said had been marked for destruction during the Obama administration, though he did not present evidence linking those materials to the election allegations.

Trump says China wanted him to lose as White House releases intelligence documents

The document release was coordinated through the White House Government Transparency Task Force alongside the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, with Trump saying senior intelligence officials had personally reviewed the findings before publication.

Trump argued the alleged voter data breach and influence campaign were aimed at preventing him from returning to office, claiming China "did not want" him as president again. 

"China fought like hell, not to have Donald Trump win, and for good reason," he said.

The claims differ from previous official intelligence assessments. In January 2021, the US intelligence community concluded there were no indications that any foreign government altered the technical aspects of the 2020 presidential election, including voter registrations, ballots, vote tabulation, or certified results.

That assessment was completed while John Ratcliffe, who now serves as CIA director under Trump, was Director of National Intelligence and was briefed to Trump before he left office.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, however, rejected the allegations, stating that Beijing "has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the US."