US President Donald Trump is expected to accuse China of carrying out previously undisclosed efforts to interfere in American elections during a primetime address on Thursday, according to administration sources cited by CBS News.
The speech is expected to focus on allegations that Beijing attempted to undermine US electoral systems and influence political outcomes.
Officials familiar with draft versions of the address said Trump is expected to present what he describes as evidence of a coordinated operation by China targeting America’s democratic infrastructure.
The White House has not publicly confirmed the specific claims expected to be made during the speech.
Claims include alleged voter database access
According to administration sources, one of the central allegations will be that Chinese state-linked actors gained access to US voter databases.
Trump is also expected to claim that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) possessed information about the alleged breach during his first term but did not share it with him.
White House officials have indicated that newly declassified intelligence materials will be released alongside the speech to support the administration’s claims.
Senior national security officials, including the directors of the CIA and FBI, officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and representatives from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), are expected to attend the address.
Timing draws political attention
The planned speech comes as Democrats and Republicans begin shaping their campaigns ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
Democratic lawmakers have questioned both the timing and credibility of the expected allegations, arguing that intelligence claims should not undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
Critics have also accused Trump and his allies of reviving concerns over foreign interference and voting system vulnerabilities as a possible means of challenging future election outcomes.
Separately, reports said an election-focused task force led by Trump allies has been gathering information on voting machine vulnerabilities and possible foreign influence operations as part of a broader effort to address election security concerns.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed reports about the contents of Trump’s upcoming speech, saying the final remarks had yet to be decided.
‘As usual, anonymous sources are speculating about what President Trump will say during his speech on Thursday evening. The truth is, nobody knows yet what President Trump will ultimately say, which is why everyone should tune in,’ she said.
China has consistently denied allegations of interfering in foreign elections and has rejected similar accusations made previously by US officials.
