US President Donald Trump has accused China of carrying out what he described as the "largest election data hack in history," claiming that classified intelligence documents reveal major vulnerabilities in the US electoral system.
Speaking during a primetime address that several major television networks chose not to broadcast live, Trump announced that he had ordered the declassification of intelligence documents which, he said, expose "shocking vulnerabilities" in America's election infrastructure.
The Republican president claimed the documents show that, for many years and including during the 2020 presidential election, China conducted what he called the largest election data theft operation ever recorded.
According to Trump, Beijing illegally obtained the records of some 220 million American voters.
Trump has repeatedly maintained, without presenting convincing evidence, that he was deprived of victory in the 2020 election and that Democrat Joe Biden did not legitimately win the presidency.
However, despite his longstanding allegations of widespread fraud and irregularities, election experts, independent institutions and US courts have consistently concluded that there is no evidence of fraud or misconduct that affected the outcome of the 2020 election.
