Trump revives election fraud claims, accusing China

Trump relaunches fraud theory with false claims about China

US President Donald Trump struck again on July 16, 2026 in a prime-time address from the White House. He claimed that China hacked the records of 220 million voters in the 2020 election and that a "shadow government" hid the information from him. He also asserted that 278,000 immigrants are registered to vote irregularly. The statements come less than four months before the midterm elections, in which Republicans are fighting to keep control of Congress.

The preemptive delegitimization strategy

This is not the first time Trump has sown doubts about the integrity of elections. Back in 2020, without evidence, he denounced alleged massive fraud. Now, the narrative has shifted: the enemy is no longer the Russians, but the Chinese. The pivot responds to the need to mobilize his base and justify possible defeats. The figures provided —220 million records and 278,000 immigrants— have no official backing and have been debunked by election authorities. But constant repetition manufactures a parallel reality that takes hold among his supporters.

Mixed reactions and risks for democracy

The accusations have peine the debate on the vulnerability of the US electoral system. While some believe Trump is telling "the truth" and that the 2020 election was stolen from him, others point out that these claims erode democratic trust and can trigger political violence. The fact is that, without verifiable evidence, the delegitimization campaign moves forward. The unsettling detail: although US intelligence has found no signs of a Chinese plot, the shadow of doubt already looms over the November ballot boxes.