A newly declassified CIA document released by the Trump administration alleges that the Chinese government attempted to influence the 2020 presidential election by paying American journalists to publish negative stories about then-President Donald Trump.
The memo was made public Thursday as part of a broader White House release focused on election security and foreign interference. During a speech on election integrity, President Trump said the documents reveal multiple vulnerabilities, including alleged foreign influence operations targeting the United States.
CIA Memo Details Alleged Media Influence Campaign
According to the declassified CIA note, Chinese officials developed a strategy in mid-2019 aimed at weakening public confidence in President Trump before the 2020 election.
The memo alleges Beijing sought to identify U.S. journalists who had previously written critically about Trump and offer them financial incentives to produce additional negative coverage.
The document also claims China attempted to use business relationships with major American companies to pressure corporate leaders into publicly opposing the president.
According to the memo, the Chinese government’s objective was clear: prevent Trump from winning a second term.
Trump Highlights the Findings
During his White House address, Trump said the intelligence showed a coordinated effort by Beijing to shape American public opinion.
He argued the alleged campaign went beyond traditional espionage and represented an attempt to influence how Americans received political news during an election year.
The administration released the memo alongside other documents concerning election security, including materials related to voter registration systems, election infrastructure, and foreign influence operations.
China Denies the Allegations
Chinese officials quickly rejected the accusations.
The Chinese embassy in Washington said China follows a policy of non-interference in other nations’ internal affairs and does not attempt to influence U.S. elections.
China’s Foreign Ministry also called on the United States to stop what it described as efforts to “vilify China.”
Questions Remain
The release is likely to intensify debate over foreign influence in American politics, particularly regarding efforts to shape public opinion through media, business relationships, and information campaigns.
The declassified memo outlines intelligence reporting about the alleged operation, but the White House has not publicly released additional evidence showing whether payments to journalists actually occurred or identifying any individuals involved.
Even so, the allegations add another chapter to the ongoing scrutiny of foreign efforts to influence U.S. elections and raise renewed questions about how adversarial governments may seek to shape political narratives inside the United States.