Trump claims Beijing bribed US journalists to publish negative stories targeting him

US President Donald Trump, in an explosive primetime address on Thursday, accused the Chinese government of attempting to influence American public opinion by allegedly offering money to US journalists to publish negative stories about his administration.

Trump claimed the effort was part of a wider Chinese campaign aimed at damaging his political reputation and influencing the outcome of future elections.

Speaking from the White House, Trump said Beijing had targeted journalists who had previously reported critically on him and attempted to encourage more negative coverage.

“The Chinese government sought to identify US journalists who had reported negatively on the US president and pay them large sums of money to write more negative articles about him,” Trump said.

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He further alleged that the Chinese government wanted him to lose the next election.

Trump provides no evidence for claims

While presenting the allegations as a national security concern, Trump did not provide specific details to support his claims.

The president did not name any journalists or media organisations, nor did he reveal dates, financial records or declassified documents that could verify whether any reporters were approached or received payments from Chinese officials.

The allegations come as Trump continues to accuse foreign actors of attempting to influence US politics and shape public opinion.

What US intelligence assessments say

US officials have previously documented China's efforts to expand its global influence through propaganda, disinformation campaigns and attempts to shape narratives abroad.

Organisations such as Freedom House and US intelligence agencies have reported that Beijing has invested heavily in global influence operations, including online campaigns and efforts to promote favourable coverage internationally.

However, there is no publicly available evidence from US intelligence agencies showing that China directly paid mainstream American journalists to publish negative stories about a US political figure.

Previous intelligence assessments have acknowledged Chinese efforts to influence US elections but have noted that Beijing generally avoided high-risk operations that could trigger major consequences.

Remarks come amid wider election security push

The allegation was made during a broader speech focused on election security and foreign interference.

Earlier in the address, Trump announced the declassification of intelligence documents that he claimed exposed weaknesses in US election infrastructure. He also alleged that China had accessed large amounts of American voter data.

US officials have previously acknowledged that Chinese intelligence analysed publicly available voter registration information during the 2020 election cycle. However, election security agencies have repeatedly said there is no evidence that foreign actors altered voter registrations or changed election results.

The Chinese government has previously rejected accusations of election interference, calling such claims "groundless fabrications."