The Trump administration released a series of documents allegedly proving the Chinese government meddled in the 2020 election, in an attempt to steer voters away from voting for Donald Trump. Though given the fact that republicans not only won the presidency in the next election, but the House and Senate as well, the simple question must be asked. If they could steal the election in 2020, why not again in 2024? It isn’t that the Chinese couldn’t have done this. In fact, it is very likely they did engage in some kind of campaign meant to discredit Trump. The problem with the documents in question is that they state in plain language that they are not an actual intelligence analysis as much as “posts sharing some information.” In other words, there isn’t any proof of the Chinese doing anything, only speculation. There is also nothing that equates to a criminal, chargeable offense. It would be safe to assume, however, that they did instigate some racial discord, as the documents suggest. There are claims that they attempted to create the perception that White people hated Black people. The communists have been doing that for decades. For reference, see the book Color, Communism, and Common Sense, by Manning Johnson. Being a former communist party leader, Johnson claims that the Communists directed their members to infiltrate churches and instigate racial tensions by creating a perception that all Black people’s problems could be placed on the white man. Another claim found in these documents suggests that the Chinese government created tens of thousands of fake driver’s licenses so Chinese nationals could register to vote. That is quite a claim considering that Trump had earlier praised the idea of having 600,000 Chinese students compete for American jobs. Keep in mind, Chinese people are under an obligation to act as a spy for their government whenever called upon to do so. The most ironic part of this is the fact that these accusations are identical to the claims made by the Democrats with the so-called Russian collusion scandal. There is no doubt that Obama will be brought to justice any day now. Just like Hillary Clinton was, by the way.

The American public is so far divided and attached to political narratives that reflect anything but reality. Propaganda is most effective when it reflects back the beliefs of the target audience, no matter how delusional those beliefs may be. In this case, the MAGA republican is desperate to cling to any narrative that depicts Trump as a victim of the deep state, who endlessly tries to discredit him by any means necessary. Trump voters are living in a constant state of dissonance as nothing he does reflects the promises that were made. It isn’t just the MAGA crowd, to be sure. The loony left liberal is just as entrenched in these fairy tale narratives, as they rally around the idea that Trump is a fascist who is actively stripping the rights away from everyone except the CIS white male. In all honesty, Trump’s actions are more in line with totalitarian authoritarianism than liberty and constitutional government. What we are dealing with is an effective propaganda campaign meant to keep us divided, while following contrived narratives that reinforce our preconceived biases of how we think reality exists. We perceive our nation as being in the midst of a fierce ideological battle between the communist left and the freedom-loving right. If you are a democrat, you likely see it as the compassionate, humanitarian side versus the hateful, bigoted fascist right. Neither one of these stories represents the truth. These are carefully constructed narratives that do little more than tell each party what they want to hear. This is what Hannah Arendt, in her book, The Origins of Totalitarianism, refers to as totalitarian propaganda.

Arendt writes that people are more likely to cast aside the truth before their eyes, in favor of accepting lies that represent the way they perceive reality. Let’s look at it like this. Trump supporters, however many of them may be left, are infatuated with the idea that he is draining the swamp, and there is some grand strategy that will inevitably result in the destruction of the deep state. That is a fantasy riding the tailwinds of an electoral victory where people accepted what they didn’t understand out of a sense of desperation and hopelessness. The truth is as plain as day for those who wish to see it. Trump’s fiscal policies have caused just as much destruction to our nation as any Democrat, let alone the war in Iran. The Chinese meddling fits so perfectly into this narrative because it allows Trump to maintain the hero perception while blaming any negative views on “Chinese subterfuge.” Ironically, the Russian collusion narrative accomplishes the same thing. MAGA voters see that as a deliberate, conspiratorial attack on Trump meant to get him out of office while the Democrats cling to it in the hopes that it will do just that. That narrative, while probably based on some truth, is just as fantastical as the Chinese story and serves to keep everyone focused on a fictional reality. Arendt writes that it is the consistency of the system that people are a part of that works to convince them of what the totalitarian leader wants accepted as truth. The Russian collusion and Chinese meddling stories both fit within the Democrat v. Republican narrative that politically motivated people are constantly glued to. It is a consistent manipulation of the perception of reality that easily moves people towards a desired end. What is the desired end here? The acceptance of whatever solution is offered. Most likely a digital form of ID.

On July 21, 2026, just days after Trump presented the Chinese story as the crime of the century, he downplayed the whole thing by saying it was a long time ago and that we, the U.S., engage in the same type of activity. That is the understatement of the year. We have created standing armies, initiated coups to overthrow democratically elected governments, engaged in regime change in the name of upholding the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency, and have continually lied about the threat of weapons of mass destruction to justify military action in places we should never have been. On top of that, our Congress has just voted to merge our military resources with those of our greatest allies. Members of Congress are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, in some cases millions, by a foreign organization to influence policy. How is that ethical? It isn’t; it’s treason.

Article posted with permission from David Risselada