Trump releases declassified election intelligence, cites 'shocking vulnerabilities' and alleged Chinese voter data scheme
WASHINGTON, August 4. President Donald Trump released four sections of declassified intelligence documents Thursday evening, telling the nation they expose "shocking vulnerabilities" in American elections tied to hacking, foreign exploitation and what he described as deliberate suppression of findings from his own presidential briefings. The White House posted the materials to its website while he spoke.
Key takeaways
- President Donald Trump released four sections of declassified election intelligence documents on Thursday evening, August 4, citing 'shocking vulnerabilities' in American elections.
- Trump alleged that China obtained American voters' names, addresses, phone numbers and political affiliations and formed a dedicated unit to exploit that data.
- Trump said CIA and NSA reports on Chinese election interference were kept out of his daily intelligence briefings and that Congress was not notified.
- He called on the director of national intelligence, the DOJ, the FBI and the CIA to investigate the alleged suppression, saying those responsible should be fired and could face criminal charges.
- The four sections address voting-system vulnerabilities, China's exploitation of voter data, a Michigan voter-registration investigation, and noncitizens on state voter rolls.
WASHINGTON, August 4. President Donald Trump released four sections of declassified intelligence documents Thursday evening, telling the nation they expose "shocking vulnerabilities" in American elections tied to hacking, foreign exploitation and what he described as deliberate suppression of findings from his own presidential briefings. The White House posted the materials to its website while he spoke.
What the documents cover
The materials were gathered by the White House Government Transparency Taskforce and the staff of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, and reviewed by what Trump called top intelligence agency chiefs who personally confirmed their authenticity. The four sections address alleged vulnerabilities in electronic voting and ballot-counting systems, China's acquisition and exploitation of American voter data, a Michigan voter-registration investigation, and noncitizens on state voter rolls.
Trump had previewed the address as "big news" in the days before the speech. The White House said beforehand that "nobody knows" what he would reveal. The administration has pushed a series of policies, executive orders and legislative measures to secure U.S. elections ahead of Thursday's address.
China's voter data operation
Trump said China obtained names, addresses, phone numbers and political affiliations of American voters and then formed a dedicated unit to exploit that data. CIA and National Security Agency reports documenting Chinese election interference were, according to Trump, kept out of his daily intelligence briefings. He said Congress was not notified either. Trump cited one email in which intelligence analysts acknowledged they had "deliberately massaged the presidential daily briefing to withhold information regarding Chinese activities related to the election."
Investigations ordered
Trump called on the director of national intelligence, the Department of Justice, the FBI and the CIA to open investigations into the alleged suppression. Those found responsible should be fired and, where the evidence supports it, face criminal charges, he said.
Thursday's address also covered Trump Accounts, drug pricing, crime rates and border enforcement before returning to elections as its main subject. Trump told the audience the information had "for many years been covered up and hidden from you."