--- Page 1 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 From: To: Subject: RE; (U) RE; Please coord by COB $/1: 4 country election security graphic Date: Thursday, September 03, 2020 10:09:59 AM Tk |am concerned about politics Bconti Jer but | strongly disagree e, etc. That they have a preference. | don’t and all that has happened National |ntelligence Officer - Cyber ODNI/National Intelligence Council Secure: — Unclass email: Tandberg: my "The spice must fiow.” or: Sent: Thursday, September 3, 2020 8:56 AM To: Subject: FW: (U) RE: Please coord by COB 9. 1: 4 country election security graphic Is it just me, or are they basically saying we should self-censor our assessment on preference because it could be misused? They do have a preference ee | acting on that preference and we assess they think it’s probably not worth the risk. If we can't t they're communicate our thinking clearly, mayb: uld just quit and go home DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 2 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 a S - 4 on Threat Analysis National Intelligence Council/DNI Election Threat Executive For: Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2020 6:31 PM 4 Cc: DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 3 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 Subject: RE: (U) RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic sO Good evening, FBI concurs on both the edit to the [i anguage from J and with CiA and Inr’s anguage edits and concerns We've expressed our concern in coord on multiple products that the preference line, when included as a top line in products that are explicitly election related, could imply the opposite of the what community consensus seems to be — namely that activities are focused on policy preferences anc that election related activity is not worth the risk Thanks, Init Chief Foreign Influence Task Force — China (desk) (secure) co: Sent: Wednesday, September 2, 2020 5:45 PM DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 4 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 re) ° Subject: (U) RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic Classification: ie In regard to the iy sentence, | think if we are going to raise that we also need to preserve some of the caveats noted ir the i. especially if we use the NIC’s proposed language 5 have been spreading English-language on US social media platforms that criticize the President's policies, promote socially “Unidentified pro-China influence acto vider divisive themes, and denigrate him, ) DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 5 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 This is verbatim from the study. The last point in particular seems important to me uw = From: Sent: Wednesday, September 2, 2020 4:56 PM i a DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 6 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 Thanks for offering your thoughts. At this point, I’m not sure it would be productive for me to address them one by one, though | do think you're mischaracterizing what it is we’re asking for and our rationale for it. a dissent, hence this long email chain. Especially because the edits we'd We were hoping to avoid like to see are about inserting |C-coorded language, adding a caveat to a judgment but not changing it, and describing some relevant online content. In my experience, those are the types of things that can and should be worked out in coordination. But if we can’t resolve them here, then we can consider a dissent Director, Election Threat Analysis National Intelligence Council/DNI Election Threat Executive Fr: Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2020 4:33 PM 1: SO DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 7 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 ° Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic Classifi INR supports using the original language Additionally, we want to highlight three concerns that we have here at INR as we’ve watched this exchange DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 8 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 e | | we believe our evidence for China not interfering in the U.S. election Is stronger than you are acknowledging. We can and should make a judgement call about whether China is interfering, not leave it up to the reader to read between the lines. Po should not be used to justify a conclusion that “it could be happening but we just don't see it.” This sets an artificially high bar for evidence 2 must possess empirical evidence to disprove any possible alternative outcome. This flawed logic could be used to justify any conceivable argument one wants to make, and implies more uncertainty than actually exists. xy > In this case, we actually do possess positive evidence about China’s intent—and it suggests China probably is not interfering in the election e = China’s influence efforts to shift public opinion on particular policy issues are not the same as election interference, nor are they intended to influence the election. We object to language that blurs the line between these two activities and implies interference is happening, without stating it directly. e Lastly, based on the last interagency call and lack of dissent to the original draft, it appears there is relative consensus within the China-watching community (INR, CIA, NSA, FBI) about how to describe China’s activities. If the NIC election threat team disagrees, then it wot more appropriate to insert these views as a standalone dissent to the majority view, rather than rewriting the community consensus every time we publish on this topic Thanks, i INR/EAP, Department of State a es For: a [i Sent: Wednesday, September 2, 2020 4:13 PM DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 9 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 | —————_——_, A Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic fice Likewise, thanks for working with us on this We think we need to keep the language on preference in. it illuminates why we're discussing China in this context in the first pla nd provides context for the rest of the para. That line has been IC coorded multiple times and briefed to a wide variety of customers—it’s strange ) suddenly using it, especially if you’re going to mention risk calculus (why would risk calculus be relevant if they didn’t have a preference?). This is important for providing a complete picture of China’s considerations on this issue. And we have language for the other countries that shows what their preferences are. Our alternative was supposed to only apply to the second half of that first so apologies if that wasn’t clear ntence. On the sentence about not trying to influence the outcome: we ask that you either put back in the HB confidence caveat, or revert to the other version with the I caveat. Just to be clear, we can’t sign off on a definitive statement about this. We don’t have an of whether you reference the other assessments about risk c on on ilus and the bilat. relationship, though would suggest being very careful about basing judgments on other judgments. Thanks for putting the “pro-China influence actors” sen ce back in the para. For that one, we ask you use the sentence we provided: “Unidentified pro-China influence actors J have been spreading English-language videos on US social media platforms that criticize the President's policies, grate him, TT We tink we need to acknowledge the partisan nature of some of th ontent promote socially divisive themes, and de DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 10 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 Director, Election Threat Analysis National Intelligence Council/DNI Election Threat Executive For: Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2020 3:19 PM a ie Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic c Thank you for working through this with us. We would prefer to go with the influence version of the first sentence you offered. We still feel the fs is fairly well represented in the body of DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 11 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 GR efforts. We would be fine either including the sentence we tacked on below in the paragraph or in the graphic body itself where we discuss EE but feel e separate paragraph about it is unnecessary given the {EJ eround the activity. Please see below for our suggested language. n er as rs ‘ sehvea na 4 ra n ee e-assess- that Chitra preters tat tie Prestaent aes ott Feerec ion, oat We assess Beijing uses extensive lobbying, economic measures, information derived from computer network exploitation, and increasingly strident rhetoric iii press US officials and federal and local candidates to support China’s positions and perspective. teyms . (CIA Note: Removed for redundancies.) China has been expanding its broad, whole-of government influence efforts ahead of Novembe 20 to shape the | policy environments in the United States and to pressure political figures at every level of government, efforts which we assess could be used to influence the 2020 election S However, we assess at this time China probably judges the risk of being caught interfering in the US election outweighs any potential gains. i | Let us know if this works for you and we will move it forward. Thank you very much for your patience, CIMC, EAPMC, CC cr: Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2020 1:37 PM g DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 12 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 g Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic Classification: Thanks for the response. Much of your new suggested language is fine, but it doesn’t actually address our concern about EEE Yes, the (NM is dated. That’s the point. We disagree with your comment on parallelism—the language on Russia and Iran includes preferences fc about the election, so it seems odd to exclude because it describes arts to support or der grate one ca te over the other. The graphic is coordinated language on Beijing’s view on it. | also asked the J analysts to add language on aims or preferences to t ay there. | also think there’s a contradiction in your suggestion—you say definitively at the e extent they have anything beginning that Beijing isn't trying to sway the outcome, but then later included our language saying 2 ar So, here’s a counterproposal to try to find common ground: fF We assess that China prefers that the President does not win reelection, but Pot (alternatively: we assess that China is not at this time trying to influence the outcome of the presidential election in favor of one candidate or another HE (9 this assessment because it is based on [A HE) We assess Beijing uses extensive lobbying nomic measures, information derived from computer network exploitation, and increasingly strident rhetoric co press US officials and federal and local candidates to support China’s pos s and perspective. Beijing also continues to criticize US policies, politicians, and f rceived critics to shape a political and socia environment in the United States that reflects China’s positions and perspectives and defend against perceived attacks by the US. China has been expanding its broad, whole-of-governmer (iz ia influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States and to pressure political figures at every level of government, efforts which we assess could DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 13 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 be used to influence the 2020 election. However, we assess at this time China probably judges the risk of being caught interfering in the US election outweighs any potential gains We also disagree with excluding the language on EEE, etc. We think this is the most notable new information on the China election story and should be addressed up front somehow in our current update. If we can’t compromise on, building that into the chapeau, then we’d like to add a separate paragraph with our comment on this HEB National Intelligence Council note: Unidentified pro-China influence actors (J have been spreading English-language videos on US social media platforms that criticize the President’s policies, promote socially divisive themes, and denigrate i”, Ei bserved China-based actors we Nave 0 spreading narratives regarding the election; so far, the campaigns have been small in scale, gained little traction, and were promptly shut down by social media companies. If these activities are directed or sanctioned by Beijing they could be the precursor i _ targeting the electicr ll Director, Election Threat Analysis National Intelligence Council/DNI Election Threat Executive Fon: Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2020 11:31 AM a DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 14 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic Thank you for your continued engagement on this issue. Below, please see our suggested language taking on board your comments about a desire to see an increased reflection of EY end f | as well as more description about what Beijing is doing at this time. Our language below also incorporates comments we received from the IC throughout the coord process: We assess Beijing uses extensive lobbying, economic measures, information derived from computer network exploitation, and increasingly strident rhetoric to [MY press Us officials and federal and local candidates to support China’s positions and perspective, but at this time is not trying to influence the outcome of the presidential election in favor of one candidate or another. Beijing continues to criticize US policies, politicians, and perceived critics to shape a political and social environment in the United States that reflects China’s positions and perspectives and defend against perceived attacks by the US. China has been expanding its broad, whole-of-government fF influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States and to pressure political figures at every level of government, which we assess could be used to influence the 2020 election if Beijing directed Chinese officials to do so. [iy ee PF However, we assess at this time China probably judges the risk of being caught interfering in the US election outweighs any potential gains. For transparency, below is how we parsed your suggestions (CIA Note: We are cutting DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 15 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 this because it does not parallel with the rest of the graphic, which leads with China’s candidate preferences, rather than an assessment on potential Chinese actions. We also feel that the inclusion of SJ discussions is outdated for the [J update.) \ E i ct s i t fe aga y China has been expanding its broad, whole-of-government [EEE influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States and to pressure political (21 NOTE: Taken from NIC language.) How t figures at every level of government (CIA NOTE: Taken from NIC language.), | wrever-we-cerotknenittresecampaignsare-directed-by the Chinese-Govermmentoritthey arethe work ofindivicuats operating on then-own: (CIA Note: We are cutting this because to our knowledge, the only campaign this refers to is the i, which we as an IC have not finished evaluating, SJ and, none of which we assess are authoritative. We include the [MM in the body of the graphic but don’t feel it rises as of yet—pending further analysis— to the level of inclusion in the chapeau). Chinatras-beer-expending Please let us know what you think! We look forward to engaging further on this issue Best, EAPMC, CIMC, CCI For: rr Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2020 10:19 AM =“ DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 16 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 AS es es ee Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic Classified By: From: Classifi Hi all, Thanks for your willingness to discuss this. For the China lead para, we think that the c nal and the alternative we talked about yesterday are too definitive, giver the eb out the We suggest the following, which is a combination of language from our recent NICA and your original. We think this better accounts for our i HER “© assess that China prefers that the President does not win reelection Although as of iii” Beijing did not intend to try to affect the election, Chinese officials have I 2 he) 0114 use to try to sway the outcome. ares incorporating election-related themes and direct mention of political candidates into its efforts to influence US attitudes and polices on China, and we assess Chinese officials are aware that these efforts could impact the election. Unidentified pro-China influence actors [EE have been spreading English-language videos on US social media platforms that criticize the President's policies, promote socially divisive themes, and denigrate him, i However, HE China has been expanding its broad, whole-of-government fs influence efforts ahead of November 2020 to shape the policy environment in the United States and to pressure political figures at every level of government. For the two footnotes on 2016 and 2018, | suggest editing to say “which would have been inconsistent with our understanding of its strategic foreign policy objectives at the time” to be clear that this is our assessment and that it applies to past years. Again, we think there is more gray area with regard to what's going on in 2020 than the original implies Let us know what you think. Thanks. Director, Election Threat Analysis National Intelligence Council/DNI Election Threat Executive DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 17 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 eo Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2020 2:17 PM a : Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic Please see consolidated CIA comments on your inclusions and let us know if or when you would like to chat about the language Best Fo: Sent: Monday, August 31, 2020 12:54 PM £ a | £ DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 18 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 Subject: RE: Please coord by COB 9/1: 4 country election security graphic Classificaticn: [is Clas Hi everyone, As always, thanks for the chance to coord. NIC comments are in the attachment. We’d like to see the China and {J language again before we sign off. Happy to chat about our input on those or the other sections. Thanks Director, Election Threat Analysis National Intelligence Council/DNI Election Threat Executive Fo Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2020 3:57 PM “4 ° DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 19 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 20 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 | DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 21 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 eT DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 22 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 ° y © a S > a fp g ie) FS ® a Q ° g a 2, o Na pe ° 5 < o ® 6 pas a 5 < o a Ssificat IC colleagues, Please see attached for the latest edition of our graphic, “Election Security: Status of Adversary Efforts TO Influence the 2020 US Presidential Election, as of 25 August.” This edition mentions Russia, China, Iran, and Please send comments to the cc line by COB Tuesday, 1 September. The graphic contains redacted and i material for Russia, and i material for China. We've included the serial numbers for the redacted reports so you can verify your access. If you have access and would like to coordinate on the full text, please contact the following POCs for a full version: DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 23 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 Thanks! EEMC/RUMB/Strategic & Asymmetric Warfare DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 --- Page 24 --- DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026 R By Classified Dated Declassify On Classific ee DECLASSIFIED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP on 3 July 2026