Trump's declassified documents on China's 2020 election role reveal new twist involving Biden

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, July 16, unveiled a series of newly declassified intelligence documents that he said support his claims of Chinese interference in the 2020 presidential election and alleged failures by intelligence agencies to fully brief his administration.

However, one of the documents released states that Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors directly targeted former President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign.

The records, published on the White House's new transparency website, accompanied Trump's primetime address alleging that China sought to undermine his reelection bid and obtained large amounts of US voter data.

Declassified files reveal China targeted Biden campaign

During his White House address, Trump argued that the declassified intelligence showed Beijing sought to influence the 2020 election and damage his campaign.

Quoting what he described as CIA reporting, Trump said, "The Chinese Communist Party's policy was to leverage all domestic and foreign elements that were opposed to the US president in an effort to reduce the US president's votes and make him resign or prevent his reelection."

Trump also alleged that China obtained approximately 220 million US voter files and claimed intelligence officials concealed the information from his administration.

One of the documents released, however, states that the US intelligence community had detected Chinese state-sponsored cyber activity directed at then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden's presidential campaign.

"The US intelligence community has detected Chinese state-sponsored cyber activity targeting the former Vice President's presidential campaign, probably to gather intelligence that could enable future operations, the first instance this election cycle that we have seen them directly targeting a US presidential campaign," the assessment states.

The document adds, "the IC assesses that China does not currently intend to covertly interfere to try to sway the outcome of the election, although this activity could enable such operations."

The same document also states that Chinese cyber actors collected election-related information from US voter databases, political organizations, fundraising groups and campaign advisory organizations during the previous year, with portions of the assessment remaining redacted.

Russian election interference targeted 2020 presidential race

Another intelligence assessment included in the White House document release described separate Russian influence operations during the 2020 election.

The August 19, 2020, National Intelligence Council assessment stated that Russian officials and proxy actors were working to circulate allegations involving Biden and Ukraine through media outlets, public figures and online channels. 

The assessment said Russian-linked figures sought to amplify narratives alleging corruption involving Biden and the Democratic Party during the presidential campaign.

According to the document, "their aim is to defeat the former Vice President and ensure the President's victory."

The assessment further stated that several proxy actors believed Ukraine-related allegations would play a significant role in the 2020 campaign and were working with US-based individuals to amplify those narratives. 

Trump has repeatedly disputed previous intelligence assessments that Russia sought to assist his campaign while maintaining that China posed the greater election interference threat.