'Non-publicly available data': White House adds new detail to Trump China voter claims

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House on Thursday, July 30, added a new detail to President Donald Trump's allegations about China's collection of US voter data, saying the files included "non-publicly available data."

The administration presented the claim as fresh intelligence-backed support for Trump's election interference narrative. But officials also acknowledged they still cannot confirm exactly what information was obtained or how much was purchased, stolen or hacked.

White House expands China voter data claim

In a fact sheet approved by the CIA, National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the White House said the voter files obtained by China "included non-publicly available data," CBS News reported on Thursday.

The document did not specify what private information was collected or identify which states were affected.

An administration official told reporters the intelligence community believes China "purchased, stole or hacked" voter registration files but could not confirm what percentage of the data came through each method.

The White House also alleged, as per the report, that Chinese cyber actors "acquired voter registration data stored on commercial websites" in 2022.

Earlier this month, Trump declassified intelligence records that he argued showed the US election system falls "catastrophically short." 

He also called China's collection of voter rolls "the largest compromise of election data in history."

Officials acknowledge unanswered questions

According to the administration, China's effort stretched across several years, with tens of millions of voter files obtained from 18 states in 2020 before the total reached 220 million files by 2023.

An administration official said the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration discussed whether Americans whose files were accessed should receive victim notifications, the report said.

Even so, officials said it remains unclear how China intended to use the information.

A 2020 assessment by the National Intelligence Officer for Cyber Issues said Chinese intelligence "analyzed multiple US states' … election voter data" to "conduct public opinion analysis on the 2020 US general election." 

The document, first declassified four years ago, remains heavily redacted.

The White House also cited another newly released 2020 NIO-Cyber memo warning that adversaries with access to voter registration systems could "alter data" to "prevent individual voters or groups of voters from voting." 

The same memo added it was not clear whether any countries had "specific plans to manipulate election-related systems," the report stated.

Intelligence findings remain disputed

The administration's latest claims come against the backdrop of earlier intelligence assessments that reached different conclusions.

After the 2020 election, the National Intelligence Council concluded that no foreign actors, including China, attempted to alter voter registrations, ballot casting, vote counting or any other "technical aspect" of the election process.

The report also noted that election experts have argued public voter files cannot be used to modify voter registration records and previously pushed back on Trump's characterization of the data collection because voter registration information is publicly accessible in many states.

China has denied trying to interfere in US elections. The Chinese Embassy in Washington told CBS News earlier this month that it has "all along adhered to the principle of non-interference in others' internal affairs."