Critics whale on Trump’s Chinese election tampering claims

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a press briefing at the White House, on the one-year mark into his second term in office, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 20, 2026. REUTERS Nathan Howard

CBS News reports sources familiar with the speech that President Donald Trump teased earlier this week claim the president will be accusing China of election tampering.

“Part of President Trump's speech Thursday night is expected to touch on previously unreported alleged Chinese meddling in U.S. elections, according to sources familiar with the matter,” said CNS News. “One component: Allegations that Beijing compromised U.S. voter data and evidence the CIA knew about the action and didn't share that information with Mr. Trump during his first term.”

Earlier, Trump had only mentioned that his speech would focus on election security.

CBS reports the audience for the primetime speech is expected to include “members of the president's cabinet. Among those invited are the heads of CIA, FBI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Department of Homeland Security, as well as other agencies and staff,” suggesting the speech might act as marching orders for the federal government to pursue the allegations.

But even though important agency leaders and staff may be present, social media was already lambasting the claim and calling out Trump’s hypocrisy.

“It’s all projection after Russia helped him win in 2016,” said one commenter on X, who echoed many similar comments about Trump focusing only on China because that was the tampering that was intended to help Biden. Russia’s tampering, however unmentioned, advocated for Trump.

“Will he talk about Russia meddling in 2016,” said another.

“OK we've moved on now we're gonna focus on China meddling and elections instead of Russia right?” intoned another X heckler with clear memory of the Kremlin’s advocacy for Trump in 2016.

Other critics wondered on X just what Trump planned to do about China’s alleged tampering if true: “Are we going to kidnap their leader and pirate their natural resources too?”

Other critics, however, including CNN and Fox News legal analyst Jeffrey Evan Gold, said Trump’s impending announcement smelled more like a set-up for U.S. election rigging himself: “The excuse for shamelessly using the Insurrection Act to rig the 2026 election,” said Gold on X.

“Well, it's been a good 250 year run anyway,” Gold added in a later post. “... Trump sowing the seeds for a declaration of emergency in November.”

Trump has been obsessed with his investigation into the 2020 election that he lost, and he has sent staff to dig up proof of wrongdoing despite multiple judges dismissing allegations throughout 2020. Researchers claim Trump himself orchestrated a coup in 2020 by ratcheting up the pressure to unleash the might of the federal government to undo his defeat.

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