Trump Accuses China of Election Meddling but Downplays Threat Before Xi Visit

President Donald Trump accused China of orchestrating the largest compromise of election data in history, claiming Beijing obtained 220 million US voter records, but days later downplayed the threat and said the US does the same to China Source: CNN; DW. The reversal came as planning continues for Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States on September 24 Source: ground-news; SCMP.

The Allegation

In a prime-time televised address, Trump alleged that China had illicitly acquired US voter files beginning in 2020, calling it an "unprecedented election security nightmare" Source: CNN. He ordered the declassification of intelligence documents and directed the FBI to investigate Source: DW. Critics and Democrats accused him of casting doubt on upcoming elections, noting that dozens of court cases found no proof of large-scale fraud Source: DW.

The Shift

Just five days later, Trump softened his stance, saying the alleged interference "took place a long time ago" and that "I think China is maybe a little bit different today than it was then" Source: SCMP; CNN. He added, "They do things and we do things to them. It's not a one-way street" Source: CNN. Analysts noted the contradiction between his tough rhetoric and a China policy that has been softer than both his first term and the Biden administration Source: Foreign Policy.

The Visit

Despite the allegations, a White House official confirmed that Xi Jinping's state visit to the US in September remains on track, with discussions expected to include artificial intelligence Source: ground-news; Foreign Policy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also set to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila amid the ongoing tensions Source: SCMP.