Allegations of Chinese Interference in the 2020 Election
Daniel JusticeShare
On June 17, 2025, Patel announced that he had uncovered and declassified an FBI intelligence report from August 2020, which claimed the CCP planned to manufacture fake driver’s licenses to create voter identities for Chinese residents in the U.S., enabling fraudulent mail-in ballots to benefit Biden. The report, initially flagged by the FBI’s Albany, New York field office, was recalled and not fully investigated under then-FBI Director Christopher Wray, who testified in September 2020 that there was no evidence of coordinated voter fraud. U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted nearly 20,000 fake licenses from China and Hong Kong around the same time, though these were primarily linked to college students seeking underage drinking privileges, not election fraud, the capability was on display.
Patel’s declassification, prompted by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s oversight, has raised questions about why the report was buried and whether Wray’s assurances were premature or misleading. The allegations remain unsubstantiated, with no evidence that fraudulent ballots were cast or that voter registrations were created using these licenses.
Scripture provides a framework for evaluating claims through hindsight. In Deuteronomy 18:21-22, God instructs Israel to test prophets by whether their predictions come true: “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken.”
In the New Testament, 1 John 4:1 urges believers to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Hindsight, as a tool, allows Christians to assess the accuracy of those who claim to speak truth, whether in spiritual or civic matters.
The 2020 election was a crucible for such testing. Many voices—political leaders, media outlets, and even Christian figures—made bold claims about the election’s integrity. Some warned of foreign interference, while others dismissed such concerns as baseless. Patel’s declassified report offers a chance to revisit these voices, comparing their claims against emerging evidence to discern who aligned with truth and who did not.
Voices of 2020: Who Was Right, Who Was Wrong?
Those Who Warned of Interference
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Donald Trump and Allies: Former President Trump and his supporters, including Patel, consistently claimed the 2020 election was compromised by fraud and foreign meddling. Trump’s legal challenges and public statements often cited China, Russia, and Iran as potential actors, though courts rejected these claims for lack of evidence at the time. Patel, a Trump loyalist, authored the 2018 Nunes memo, which alleged FBI abuses in the Trump-Russia investigation, establishing his skepticism of the agency’s impartiality. His 2025 declassification aligns with his earlier warnings, suggesting the CCP’s alleged scheme was ignored by Wray’s FBI. Grassley’s 2020 inquiries into unvetted FBI intelligence, including Hunter Biden’s Chinese connections, also foreshadowed these concerns.
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Conservative Media and Commentators: Outlets like Just the News, which first reported Patel’s declassification, and commentators like Dinesh D’Souza amplified claims of election irregularities. Some Christian conservatives, citing Psalm 101:7 (“He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house”), argued that foreign interference by nations like China was plausible, given their hostility to U.S. values. These voices faced accusations of promoting conspiracy theories, but Patel’s report lends partial credence to their warnings, though not definitive proof.
Those Who Dismissed Concerns
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Christopher Wray and the FBI: Wray’s September 2020 testimony that there were “no known plots” of foreign interference directly contradicts the declassified report’s existence. His decision to recall the report, ordering its destruction, raises questions about transparency. Critics, including Patel, argue Wray’s actions may have shielded a cover-up, potentially misleading Congress and the public.
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Mainstream Media and Election Officials: Outlets like NBC News and The New York Times, along with election officials, repeatedly stated there was no evidence of widespread fraud or foreign interference in 2020. The infamous 2020 letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials, claiming the Hunter Biden laptop story bore “classic earmarks” of Russian disinformation, exemplifies this dismissal of foreign meddling concerns. These voices, often aligned with Democratic narratives, downplayed allegations that now appear to have had some basis, even if unproven.
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Some Christian Leaders: Certain evangelical leaders urged Christians to accept the election results, citing Romans 13:1’s call to submit to governing authorities. While well-intentioned, their dismissal of interference claims may have overlooked the need to “test everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Hindsight reveals a mixed picture. Trump, Patel, Grassley, and conservative commentators were partially vindicated by the existence of the FBI’s 2020 report, which confirms allegations of a CCP-linked scheme were under consideration.
Conversely, Wray, mainstream media, and the intelligence officials behind the Hunter Biden letter appear to have erred by conspiring to downplay severity. Wray’s recall of the report and the media’s rejection of interference claims suggest a bias toward protecting the election’s perceived legitimacy, potentially at the cost of transparency. Their assurances, in hindsight, were premature, failing to account for uninvestigated intelligence.
For Christians, this saga underscores the importance of discernment. The New Testament’s call to test spirits and prophets reminds us to neither blindly accept nor reflexively reject claims, especially in polarized times. Hindsight, as a biblical tool, reveals that truth often lies between extremes—neither in unchecked conspiracy theories nor in dismissive denials. Proverbs 18:17 warns, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” Patel’s report demands further investigation, not blind allegiance or rejection.
Moreover, Christians must approach such issues with humility. The 2020 election exposed divisions within the church, with some aligning with political narratives over scriptural principles. Colossians 3:12 calls believers to “put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,” even in civic disputes. Whether Patel’s allegations prove true or falter, Christians should prioritize truth over tribalism, seeking justice while trusting God’s sovereignty.
All claims remain under investigation, and Christians are encouraged to seek primary sources and pray for discernment.