Fact Check: Did Chuck Schumer say Democrats can rig elections without any help from China?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid President Donald Trump’s allegation that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that Democrats have said that they can rig elections without any help from China. The claim has sparked speculation and questions about its authenticity, prompting a fact check.
Claim: Democrats say they can rig elections without help from China
The claim surfaced on X with an image of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, accompanied by an overlay text stating, “Democrats say they are perfectly capable of rigging elections without any help from China.”
The claim was accompanied by a link to an article where Schumer allegedly said, “Trump wants you to believe Democrats are working with China to undermine election integrity. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why would I use China to rig an election when I can support election interference made right here in America?"
Fact Check: The claim was intended as a parody
(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
However, the claim is false, as there are no records of Schumer making such a remark about rigging elections.
There are no credible newspaper reports, press releases, or public statements by the Minority Leader stating that they can rig elections without help from China.
A Google search for the claim yielded no relevant results, which, if true, would have made headlines and triggered widespread controversy.
Moreover, the viral X post and the article accompanying it were posted by a parody account called ‘The Babylon Bee,’ which states in its bio Fake news you can trust.’
Hence, the post and the quote in the article are fabricated for engagement.
Donald Trump alleges China targeted the 2020 election
In his primetime speech on Thursday night, Trump 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.
"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.
However, the claims differ from previous official intelligence assessments, which 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.
