Trump Accuses China of Stealing 220 Million Voter Files

The administration of Donald Trump alleged on July 30 and 31, 2026, that the Government of China and its proxies acquired voter registration files for as many as 220 million Americans between 2020 and 2023. A fact sheet issued by the White House Government Transparency Task Force, approved by the CIA, NSA, Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, stated the data was obtained through hacking, theft, or purchase and included non-public information.

President Trump characterized the incident as the largest compromise of election data in history and a cyber threat to American democracy. He has since ordered the Department of Justice, FBI, CIA, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to investigate why this intelligence was previously withheld or downplayed. The administration clarified that while actual election results may not have been changed, the targeting of technical systems like voter registration constitutes election interference rather than mere influence.

Senator Mark Warner challenged these disclosures, citing a 2021 assessment that China did not deploy an influence campaign to affect the 2020 election outcome. Election experts also noted that voter registration files are often public and generally cannot be used to modify records. The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., denied the allegations, stating that China adheres to a principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations.