U.S. President Donald Trump is set to deliver a primetime speech on election security on Thursday, bringing renewed attention to voting systems and election administration as Republicans prepare for November’s midterm elections.
The address comes as the White House considers whether to disclose sensitive intelligence concerning China’s intention or capability to interfere in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing four sources, that some administration officials have expressed concern the information could be misleading if presented publicly.
According to sources familiar with the intelligence, the material does not indicate that Beijing manipulated vote counts or altered the outcome of the 2020 election.
A White House task force led by conservative journalist John Solomon has requested intelligence documents on the issue and has spent recent weeks reviewing them ahead of the president’s remarks, according to one source familiar with the group’s work.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt declined to comment on the contents of the speech.
“As usual, anonymous sources are speculating about what President Trump will say during his speech on Thursday evening,” she said. “The truth is, nobody knows yet what President Trump will ultimately say.”
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to requests for comment, while the CIA declined to comment.
Trump has spent years questioning U.S. election systems, repeatedly claiming without evidence that his 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden was rigged. He has also alleged widespread fraud involving mail-in ballots, vulnerabilities in voting machines and non-citizen voting.
However, numerous court rulings and vote recounts found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.
Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has sought to expand the federal government’s role in election administration, despite elections being primarily managed by individual states under the U.S. Constitution.
He has also urged Senate Republicans to advance the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require voters to present photo identification and provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering, while also requiring states to share voter registration data with the federal government. Democrats and voting rights advocates argue voter fraud is extremely rare and say the proposal could suppress legitimate voting.
Some Republican leaders have signaled they would rather focus on the upcoming midterm elections than revisit the 2020 contest.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans are concentrating on the 2026 election cycle rather than relitigating Trump’s previous defeat.
Republicans enter the midterm campaign facing political challenges, with Trump’s approval ratings under pressure and voters expressing frustration over the Iran war and rising energy prices.
Democrats need to gain three Republican-held seats to win control of the House of Representatives, while regaining a Senate majority remains a more difficult prospect given several key races in Republican-leaning states.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer accused the administration of preparing to interfere with the November elections, saying Democrats were closely monitoring the White House’s actions.
It also remains unclear whether major U.S. television networks will broadcast Trump’s address live. Some Democrats, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have urged broadcasters not to carry the speech, arguing it could include claims about election fraud that have previously been debunked.
