Fact Check: Do Trump's declassified files prove China manipulated the 2020 election?

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump released a batch of declassified documents during a primetime White House address on July 16.

He described them as evidence of widespread election security failures and foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election. 

Among his most prominent claims was that the documents proved China had manipulated the 2020 election to undermine his campaign. The allegation quickly gained attention online, fueling renewed debate over election integrity and foreign influence.

Claim: Trump's declassified docs show China manipulated the 2020 election

During the speech, Trump alleged that the declassified documents revealed Chinese efforts to undermine his 2020 campaign. He also accused the "deep state" of concealing the truth. He also claimed, "Americans were blatantly lied to about the security of our election infrastructure."

Trump further said, "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 U.S. voter files."

US media reported in 2021 that two intelligence officials held a minority view within the intelligence community, suggesting that China may have sought to undermine President Donald Trump's reelection campaign.

They theorized that Beijing used online influence campaigns and other measures because it was concerned about how Trump's unpredictable policies could affect China's semiconductor industry.

The partially redacted documents released on Thursday provide additional details about that assessment. According to the records, the two officials believed China likely relied on "overt messaging, nascent online covert influence capabilities, diplomatic measures, and the use of economic leverage" to influence the political environment.

Fact Check: False, intelligence reports do not confirm the claim

Intelligence agencies have long said that although China collected large amounts of data on Americans, there is no evidence that it used voter files to manipulate votes or change the outcome of the 2020 election.

In many US states, voter registration records are public and can legally be accessed or purchased by political campaigns and parties to contact voters.

US intelligence agencies also found that China tried to influence the political environment during the 2020 election. However, they did not conclude that China directly interfered with the election or altered vote counts.

The newly released documents do not change that conclusion. Instead, they show internal discussions among intelligence officials about how to describe China's activities. Some analysts believed China tried to "denigrate" Trump, but that opinion was already included in the intelligence community's post-election report and was not hidden.

Before Trump's speech on Thursday, Liu Chang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States, rejected the allegations. He said, "China has all along adhered to the principle of non-interference in others' internal affairs."

He added that the US presidential election is an internal matter for the United States, determined by American voters, and said China has never interfered and will never interfere in US presidential elections.