China hacked 220 million US voter records, White House says

The Story in Brief

The White House has released declassified intelligence documents alleging that China and its proxies hacked or stole the voter registration data of as many as 220 million Americans. The fact sheet, issued by the White House Government Transparency Task Force, says the data included information not publicly available. The documents were approved by the directors of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the NSA, the CIA and the Department of Homeland Security. The White House also released the intelligence community's official definition of 'election interference', distinguishing it from broader 'election influence'.

According to the fact sheet, Chinese computer network exploitation actors acquired voter registration data stored on commercial websites as early as 2022. The White House warned that adversaries could alter such data to prevent voters from casting ballots or force them to use provisional ballots. The release follows President Donald Trump's July 16, 2026 speech on what the administration described as China's election interference activities. The Hans India reports that the intelligence agencies approved the factual statements used in the speech.