President Donald Trump is expected to use a prime-time address Thursday to allege that China compromised U.S. voter data and that the CIA knew about the activity but did not tell him during his first term, according to CBS News.
The speech is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern and will focus on elections. CBS reported that the audience is expected to include members of the president’s Cabinet. The heads of the CIA, FBI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Department of Homeland Security are among those invited, though some Cabinet members have scheduling conflicts.
The planned claims have not been confirmed by the White House. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said anonymous sources were speculating about what the president would say and that no one knew what he would ultimately include in the address.
Reuters reported Wednesday that the White House was considering releasing classified intelligence about China and its ability to interfere in U.S. elections. The intelligence was collected and analyzed during Trump’s first term, according to Reuters, and some administration officials are concerned its release could give a misleading picture of what happened.
Sources told Reuters that the intelligence concerns whether China had the intent or ability to disrupt the 2020 election. The reporting said the material does not show that Beijing manipulated or changed votes.
A 2021 U.S. intelligence community assessment found no indication that a foreign actor tried or succeeded in changing any technical part of the 2020 voting process. Former officials have also said there is no evidence that China or another foreign adversary altered votes in that election.
Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden and has continued to falsely claim the result was rigged. Courts rejected dozens of challenges from Trump and his allies, and election officials from both parties said there was no widespread fraud that could have changed the outcome.
It remains unclear what intelligence Trump will present Thursday, whether any material will be declassified or how the administration will distinguish between accessing voter data, probing election systems and changing votes. CBS said its report was based on people familiar with the matter. Reuters cited four people with knowledge of the deliberations.
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