President Donald Trump delivered a 25-minute primetime television address to the nation on July 16, 2026, claiming that China engaged in 'sinister' meddling in the 2020 presidential election and that a 'deep state' cover-up concealed the interference. He asserted that he had declassified intelligence revealing 'shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure.'
Critics accuse Trump of sowing confusion
Critics have accused Trump of attempting to sow confusion and spread misinformation ahead of the November midterm elections, which could see Republicans lose control of one or both houses of Congress. A previous intelligence assessment found no evidence that foreign interference affected the outcome of the 2020 race, which Trump lost to Joe Biden. Trump has long claimed the election was stolen, despite dozens of court cases finding no proof of widespread fraud. He did not raise doubts about his election wins in 2016 or 2024.
Networks decline to broadcast address
Major television networks ABC, NBC, and CNN did not broadcast Trump's address on their main channels, prompting the president to claim they were involved in a 'plot' and should lose their licenses. Trump stated: 'Every American deserves to know that when they cast their vote, that vote will be counted accurately in a system, and that is to make that system secure, one where cheating and interference are not just difficult but virtually impossible. Unfortunately, the system we have today falls catastrophically short of that standard. China and other countries have been trying to meddle in our elections. Evidence of fraud has been buried.'
Push for Save America Act
Trump used the speech to push for Congress to approve the stalled Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (Save America Act), which would require photo ID to vote, proof of US citizenship to register, force states to share voter registration information with the federal government, and introduce new rules for postal voting. Supporters argue the legislation improves electoral integrity, while opponents warn the documentation requirements could deny millions of eligible Americans the vote. Given the tight timeline, some on Capitol Hill say the bill cannot be implemented in time for the midterms.
Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, called Trump's claims about China 'totally bogus.' He said: 'The fact is our intelligence agencies unanimously agreed that China did not even try to change a single vote in the 2020 election.'
