President Trump claims China acquired 220 million U.S. voter files in what he called the largest compromise of election data in history.
President Trump stated that China conducted the largest compromise of election data in history by illicitly acquiring 220 million U.S. voter files. The administration highlighted that China now possesses names, addresses, phone numbers, and political party preferences. However, experts note that much of this data is already accessible to the public. In 20 states and Washington, D.C., voter data can be obtained through simple public requests, purchases, or online downloads. While China may have acquired significant data, the information alone is not sufficient to create or alter registrations without matching specific identifiers like Social Security numbers or driver's licenses. David Becker, executive director for the Center for Election Innovation and Research, noted there is currently no evidence that China can create the necessary matches to create false registrations. Most states exclude sensitive identifiers from public files and prohibit commercial resale. It remains unclear whether the Chinese data came from public records, commercial databases, or actual computer intrusions.