Trump accuses China of trying to meddle in the midterm elections 'against my administration'


President Trump on Wednesday accused the Chinese government of actively trying to interfere in the midterm elections.
Speaking at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Trump said that "regrettably, we found that China has been attempting to interfere" in the 2018 elections. "They do not want me, or us, to win, because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade," Trump said, per Talking Points Memo, adding that the efforts are "against my administration." He did not mention previously reported efforts by Russia to interfere with the midterms.
Trump's statement comes a few weeks after National Security Adviser John Bolton told ABC News that there was "a sufficient national security concern" about possible election interference from China. Trump tweeted last month that "all of the fools so focused" on meddling from Russia should "start also looking in another direction, China." As Talking Points Memo points out, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said in July that China was "conducting a range of cyberintrusions and attacks" on the U.S., but that Russia "has been the most aggressive foreign actor."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Jacobs suggested that Trump's Wednesday declaration of interference from China may have been specifically referring to a recent ad taken out in The Des Moines Register from The China Daily, a government-backed paper, that opposed Trump's trade policies. Recently, Trump also tweeted that the Chinese government's tariffs are meant to "impact and change our election" by "attacking our farmers, ranchers, and industrial workers."
Because Trump did not get into any specifics while making his accusation Wednesday, it's unclear if there is any additional evidence to back up his claim. China's foreign minister issued a statement disputing Trump, saying, "We do not and will not interfere." Watch Trump's remarks below. Brendan Morrow
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Zohran Mamdani: the young progressive likely to be New York City's next mayor
In The Spotlight The policies and experience that led to his meteoric rise
-
The best film reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Creativity and imagination are often required to breathe fresh life into old material
-
'More must be done'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders