President Donald Trump accused members of the U.S. intelligence community of operating a "shadow government" to conceal evidence of China's influence on U.S. elections during a speech on Thursday night. He cited newly declassified emails that he claims reveal internal disputes about how to characterize Beijing's activities. Trump stated that while he did not claim China altered votes, he argued that there was an influence campaign aimed at shaping U.S. public perceptions.
He alleged that intelligence officials excluded significant reporting from his presidential briefings and referenced an email from a National Security Agency analyst who indicated that they "massaged" the presidential daily brief to avoid direct links to the election. Trump called for Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which aims to tighten federal election rules, citing the newly released intelligence as evidence of the need for reform.
The SAVE America Act, which passed the House in February, stalled in the Senate in March when it did not secure enough votes to advance. The legislation includes requirements for documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections and photo identification to vote.
Trump also suggested eliminating mail-in voting except for specific circumstances, although the current text of the SAVE America Act permits absentee voting with identification requirements. He urged Americans to contact their representatives to demand the bill's passage.
The released emails indicated disagreements among analysts about linking Chinese influence operations to elections. While some officials questioned the decision to avoid mentioning election connections, the documents do not substantiate Trump's claims of a politically motivated conspiracy. Instead, they reflect competing assessments regarding the nature of China's actions.
China has denied any interference in U.S. elections, with a spokesperson stating that the U.S. election is an internal matter determined by American votes. Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in September, according to a senior White House official. He also directed various intelligence agencies to investigate the withholding of information and pursue accountability for any cover-up.
Senator Mark Warner responded to Trump's address by stating that the claims about election interference have been investigated and rejected by the Intelligence Community.