The Republican president may utilize his televised address to reiterate his unfounded assertion that his loss in the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden was the result of widespread fraud.
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Multiple courts, ballot audits, and his first-term Justice Department found no proof of such fraud, including issues with voting machines. The federal cybersecurity agency confirmed, along with other federal, state, and local officials, that the election was “the most secure in American history.”
Driven by Trump’s continuous statements that US elections are “rigged,” the administration has attempted for over a year to enhance federal oversight of election administration and alter voting processes — which legal experts argue could undermine state powers contrary to the US Constitution.
With Republican control of Congress on the line in the upcoming November midterm elections, Democrats and several election security professionals have voiced concerns regarding potential interference from the Trump administration in these elections.
The anonymous administration official stated that Trump would address national elections and what White House officials perceive as flaws in voting machines that may allow foreign cyber interference.
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The official also indicated that Trump would discuss new intelligence that has been declassified concerning the 2020 elections.
MS Now was the first to report on Trump’s speech.
PULTE AUTHORIZED TO DECLASSIFY INTELLIGENCE
Election officials are confident that the machines are sufficiently secure, and no evidence has surfaced indicating foreign interference that affected the results of previous elections.
A forensic analysis conducted last year by Mojave Research, a contractor engaged by former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, identified flaws in voting machines obtained in Puerto Rico but found no evidence of hacking.
Gabbard, whose resignation became effective last month, also produced her own report highlighting significant vulnerabilities in voting machines and additional measures, such as software updates, that could be enforced, according to three sources familiar with the situation.
However, the White House has postponed the release of the report, while Trump continues to insist that his defeat in 2020 was due to fraud.
Last month, he appointed Bill Pulte, director of the federal mortgage regulator, as Gabbard’s interim successor and stated that he had authorized Pulte to declassify documents relating to the 2020 vote.
WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE
The White House has also recently established a task force to investigate aspects of the 2020 election, as mentioned by three sources familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
One source noted that journalist John Solomon, a former contributor to Fox News, is involved in this endeavor.
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According to the source, Solomon has sought access to files linked to an analysis that contradicted a 2021 US intelligence assessment which found no evidence of any foreign actor attempting or succeeding in altering “any technical aspect” of the 2020 voting process.
The unclassified version of this assessment concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized parts of his government to carry out influence operations aimed at bolstering Trump’s vote and eroding public trust in the US electoral process.
China considered engaging in influence operations intended to alter the election outcome but opted against doing so, while Iran executed a “multi-faceted” covert influence campaign to weaken Trump’s candidacy, according to the assessment.
The report was produced by the National Intelligence Council, the principal organization of US intelligence analysts, along with the CIA, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the State Department’s intelligence bureau, and the National Security Agency.