Trump alleges 'shocking vulnerabilities' in US election security ahead of midterms
via The Namibian4 min read
US President Donald Trump, in a primetime address from the White House, accused China of interfering in the 2020 election and alleged "shocking vulnerabilities" in American voting systems. Trump claimed he declassified intelligence files supporting his assertion that Beijing tried to sway the election in favor of Joe Biden, despite the US intelligence community previously concluding China did not interfere. He alleged China's "illicit acquisition" of 220 million voter files, including personal information, from 18 states, but did not present evidence that this information altered voting systems or influenced outcomes. The Chinese Embassy in Washington stated Beijing "has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections." Democrats accused Trump of attempting to sow doubts about the security of the upcoming November midterms. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer stated that Democrats would ensure every American voter can cast their ballot freely. Trump's comments contradict a 2021 report by the US National Intelligence Council, which had "high confidence" that China did not interfere in the 2020 presidential election. Trump also alleged that US voting machines are "extremely exposed" to interference by foreign adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran. He mentioned a Michigan investigation into voter registration fraud by a Democratic-affiliated group, which he claimed was constrained by the FBI, and stated the Department of Homeland Security identified 278,000 non-citizen
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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