Trump's China election claims spark Asian-American scapegoat fears

In a fiery prime-time address on Thursday evening, President Donald Trump alleged that China orchestrated the 'largest compromise of election data in history,' accusing Beijing of interfering in U.S. elections. The speech, among the most confrontational of his second term, also pressed for changes to election integrity and defended U.S. military actions. Major television networks including ABC, NBC, and CNN decided not to air the speech live, prompting a sharp rebuke from the president.

Chinese-American community leaders and citizens expressed deep concern, fearing they will become scapegoats if the November midterm results displease the White House. Annie Guo, a first-generation immigrant from China's Fujian province, said such rhetoric makes the community easy targets, especially since they retain family ties in China. She noted that since Covid-19, Asian-Americans have experienced multiple waves of hate crimes, and she expects more to follow. Despite the fear, some remain hopeful that the American public will recognize the truth, pointing to the networks' decision not to amplify the speech.