▲ U.S. President Donald Trump delivering a national address
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his claims that the 2020 presidential election, which he lost, was fraudulent during a national address on July 16 (local time).
President Trump cited a previously undisclosed classified report from U.S. intelligence agencies, which he posted on the White House website, as evidence for his claims.
In the approximately 26-minute speech, President Trump stated that since taking office for his second term early last year, he has successfully overcome inflation and border security issues inherited from the previous administration.
He highlighted his achievements in his second term, including tax cuts, lower drug prices, strengthened border security, and low crime rates.
After mentioning the success of military operations in Venezuela earlier this year, he addressed the ongoing Iran war—a major global issue—stating that the U.S. is winning and that the American people will soon see the results.
President Trump then spent more than 20 minutes of his speech repeating his long-standing claims of election fraud.
He alleged that since the 2020 election period, China had obtained data on more than 220 million U.S. voters to orchestrate his defeat, and that this was covered up by an entrenched group within the federal government known as the "deep state."
Citing the example of digitally manipulated elections in Venezuela in 2020, he also claimed that U.S. voting machines and counting systems are vulnerable to hacking, manipulation, and corruption.
President Trump asserted that major U.S. adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, possess the capability to manipulate the U.S. election system. He urged the passage of the "Save America Act," which would strengthen voter identification requirements and restrict mail-in voting.
The bill, often referred to as the "Voter ID Act," is currently stalled in Congress due to fierce opposition from the Democratic Party.
President Trump declared that he would not sign any other legislation until this bill is passed, positioning it as a "winning strategy" for the midterm elections in November.
President Trump's use of a prime-time televised address to once again promote claims of election fraud appears to be a strategic move to secure victory in the midterm elections, which are critical to his political future.
By highlighting alleged election interference by countries like China, which threaten the U.S.'s status as a global superpower, he aims to amplify concerns about national security among general voters. Simultaneously, by invoking the "deep state"—a concept that remains vague but is believed to be true by his hardcore supporters—he is seeking to consolidate his base.
Furthermore, President Trump pointed out that major broadcast networks critical of him, such as NBC and ABC, did not air his speech in real time, claiming, "They want to keep this scam going for whatever reason. They are trying to protect the radical left."
This appears to be an attempt to turn the tide using conspiracy theories as his approval ratings have failed to recover amid rising domestic prices following last year's tariff war and soaring energy costs due to the prolonged Iran war.
According to a poll conducted by The Washington Post (WP) and the polling firm Ipsos (surveying 2,648 U.S. adults from July 8 to 13), President Trump's approval rating stood at 37%.
Notably, the survey found that only 15% of respondents said they "strongly support" him, the lowest level on record. This means President Trump is facing the reality that even his core supporters are turning their backs on him.
However, with the midterm elections about 100 days away, it remains uncertain whether President Trump's claims of election manipulation or fraud will be effective in shifting the election landscape and public opinion as he hopes.
Most U.S. media outlets fact-checked the President's speech, raising counterarguments such as "false claims," "nothing new," and "Trump's assertions remain unproven."
The New York Times (NYT) noted, "President Trump says he wants to protect elections, but his rhetoric is fostering deep distrust in the election process while targeting his opponents."
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat considered a potential candidate for the next presidential election, criticized the speech on social media, saying, "America just watched the rambling of a mad king."
He added, "He (Trump) is already laying the groundwork to manipulate this (midterm) election and to convince you to distrust the results if they don't go his way."
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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