Washington, DC – A CIA memorandum declassified this month alleges the Chinese government pursued a multi-pronged effort between 2018 and 2020 to influence the U.S. political environment ahead of the 2020 presidential election, including identifying American journalists who had written critically about then-President Donald Trump and seeking to encourage additional negative coverage.
The three-page document, titled Sensitive PRC Reporting from 2018–2020, was declassified by Counsel to the President David Warrington on July 10. The memo summarizes intelligence reporting related to the People’s Republic of China during that period but notes it is “not a comprehensive synopsis or summary of all reporting disseminated.”
Memo details influence campaign
According to the memo, intelligence reporting indicated that by mid-2018 the Chinese Communist Party sought to leverage domestic and foreign elements opposed to Trump “in an effort to reduce the U.S. President’s votes and make him resign or prevent his re-election.” The document also states that China viewed uncertainty surrounding U.S. leadership as destabilizing and ultimately preferred Trump not be reelected.
The memo further alleges China worked to influence the 2018 midterm elections and later the 2020 presidential election by analyzing voting patterns from the 2015 election and targeting economic sectors located in states that supported Trump. According to the document, the reported strategy involved using tariffs and economic pressure in hopes that affected industries would lobby the administration.
Journalists, business leaders and political figures mentioned
The declassified memo also describes alleged efforts to cultivate influence among U.S. officials, academics, think tank members and former government employees through paid speaking engagements, travel and other incentives. It says the objective was to build relationships that could later be used to influence discussions with senior U.S. officials on issues including trade policy.
One section of the memo alleges that, in mid-2019, the Chinese government sought to identify U.S. journalists who had reported negatively on Trump and “pay them to write more negative articles about him.”
The same section also alleges China attempted to use business relationships with major U.S. companies to persuade corporate leaders to oppose the president publicly ahead of the election. The memo does not identify any journalists, media organizations or companies by name, and much of the underlying intelligence remains redacted.
About the document
The CIA note is a summary of intelligence reporting rather than a formal investigative finding. It contains numerous redactions, provides limited sourcing details, and does not present evidence showing whether the alleged influence activities were carried out successfully. The memo also does not identify any criminal findings or confirm that any U.S. journalists knowingly participated in such efforts.
Why it matters
The declassified document adds new detail to longstanding concerns about foreign influence operations targeting U.S. elections. While previous intelligence assessments have examined efforts by multiple foreign governments to shape American public opinion, the newly released CIA memo specifically alleges Chinese officials sought to influence the political climate through media, business and political networks before the 2020 election. The allegations contained in the memo are intelligence reporting summarized by the CIA and should not be interpreted as established fact absent corroborating evidence or official investigative findings.
Photo: Dramatic recreation of allegations in released document.
