Fact Check: Is Xi Jinping uncensoring US media for Chinese people to watch the 2026 midterms?
WASHINGTON, DC: Ahead of the much-anticipated 2026 midterms, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that Chinese President Xi Jinping will be uncensoring American news websites so Chinese people can watch the upcoming US elections. The claim has sparked speculation, with many calling for a fact-check.
Claim: Xi Jinping uncensoring American media ahead of midterms
The claim appeared as a post on X, stating, “Xi Jinping will reportedly uncensor American news websites for all of November so the Chinese people can watch the US government self-destruct when Trump tries to steal ballots, rig the midterm results, refuse to certify or seat Democrats, and declare martial law.”
The post has garnered tens of thousands of views as of this writing, with comments indicating that many believe the claim is true, while a few others dismiss it as fake, prompting a fact-check of the rumor.
Fact Check: The claim originated as satire
The claim, however, is fake, as there are no reports of the Chinese leader agreeing to uncensor US news websites for the Chinese people to watch the midterms.
No official announcements, statements, or press releases from Xi or the Chinese media support the claim.
Xi’s recent summit at the White House, where he met President Donald Trump, also includes no mention of media censorship or the November elections.
If the claim were true, it would not go unreported in prominent news media outlets, but a Google search for the claim yielded no credible news reports.
Additionally, the claim was posted by an X handle called ‘The Halway post,’ which describes itself in the bio as ‘satire.’
Donald Trump hosts Xi Jinping at the White House
The claim surfaced after Xi and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan were welcomed at the White House in the last week of September, on September 24, when Trump praised his friendship with the communist leader, while Xi warned that both countries would lose in a conflict.
“We have spent time together all over the world, from Germany to Argentina, Japan to South Korea and Beijing to Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump said.
“A lot has changed since he was last here,” the president said, referring to Xi’s previous visit to Washington in September 2015, and noted that Xi is the first Chinese leader to make a second formal visit to the presidential residence.
