President Donald Trump accused members of the U.S. intelligence community Thursday night of operating a «shadow government» to allegedly conceal evidence of China’s efforts to influence U.S. elections, seizing on newly declassified emails that he says reveal a bitter internal dispute about how Beijing’s activities should be characterized.

Trump did not claim China changed votes or altered election results. Instead, he argued Beijing engaged in an influence campaign aimed at shaping U.S. public perceptions.

Trump claimed intelligence officials kept significant reporting out of his presidential briefings and highlighted an email in which a National Security Agency analyst allegedly wrote, «We have deliberately massaged our one pending (presidential daily brief) to avoid any direct links to the election.»

«Those responsible for sounding the alarm instead kept the information secret and hidden,» Trump claimed. «They did not disclose (it) to me as president or to anyone else.»

TRUMP RELEASES DECLASSIFIED ELECTION INTELLIGENCE, SAYS IT REVEALS ‘SHOCKING VULNERABILITIES’

Trump used the disclosures to press Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, casting the newly released intelligence as evidence that lawmakers must tighten federal election rules before the midterms.

«Most importantly, addressing this crisis of election security demands that Congress must pass the SAVE America Act,» Trump said. «These reforms are urgently needed to stop the vulnerabilities that I’ve mentioned.»

The SAVE America Act passed the House in February but stalled in the Senate in March, when a 53–47 vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance it. Trump urged Americans to call their senators and representatives and demand its passage «without delay.»

The White House, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump, addresses the nation from the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 16, 2026. (REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
)

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The legislation would require documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, photo identification to vote and ongoing state efforts to identify and remove noncitizens from voter rolls. Absentee voters would be required to submit a copy of an eligible photo ID when requesting a ballot and again when returning it.

Trump also called for eliminating mail-in voting except in cases of illness, disability, military deployment or travel. The current text of the SAVE America Act does not include that prohibition — it permits absentee voting subject to identification requirements.

Trump urged Americans to call their representatives and demand the bill’s passage «without delay.»

The newly released emails show that analysts disagreed over whether any alleged Chinese influence operations and intelligence collection should be explicitly linked to elections. After the NSA analyst described «massaging» the President’s Daily Brief, other intelligence officials questioned the decision, with one writing that «the mind boggles» and another calling the approach «highly irregular.»

Gualala, CA, July 4, 2020 – Person mailing United States absentee ballot for voting in an election by mail.

One official alleged the intelligence community was «deliberately avoiding mentioning a connection to elections for non-substantive reasons,» according to a November 2020 email. That official sought to reconnect the intelligence to the election-security assessment and prevent what another described as an «analytic objectivity mistake.»

The documents, however, do not establish Trump’s broader allegation of a politically motivated conspiracy. Instead, they portray competing intelligence assessments over whether China’s actions amounted to an effort to influence the presidential contest or a broader campaign focused on U.S. policies, public opinion and issues important to Beijing.

Trump went further Thursday, claiming an FBI official wrote that she was running a «shadow government» to prevent the China intelligence from becoming public.

The Chinese embassy could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Trump directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Justice Department, FBI and CIA Thursday to investigate why the intelligence was withheld, fire anyone found to have participated in a cover-up and pursue criminal charges «if appropriate.»

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in response to the address: «Americans heard the president once again repeat claims about our elections that have been investigated for years and repeatedly rejected by the Intelligence Community.»

El gobierno kelper de las Islas Malvinas envió este jueves una carta formal a la Comisión Disciplinaria de la Federación Internacional de Fútbol (FIFA) para reclamar que el organismo analice la exhibición de una bandera con el mensaje “Las Malvinas son argentinas” por parte de jugadores de la Selección dirigida por Lionel Scaloni tras la victoria ante Inglaterra en la semifinal del Mundial y que, de corresponder, aplique sanciones.

El escrito, fechado 16 de julio de 2026 y firmado por Jack Ford, presidente de la Asamblea Legislativa de las islas, sostiene que el episodio constituyó “una clara declaración política relacionada con la soberanía de las Islas Falkland”.

Además, menciona la difusión de videos en los que integrantes del plantel de Scaloni entonaron cánticos vinculados con el reclamo argentino sobre el archipiélago.

“Nos decepciona, aunque lamentablemente no nos sorprende, este tipo de comportamiento”, señala la carta enviada al organismo con sede en Zúrich.

En el texto, las autoridades isleñas recuerdan que, según su interpretación, no se trata del primer episodio de este tipo y mencionan una sanción aplicada por la FIFA a la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) en 2014 por una conducta similar.

El gobierno de las islas argumentó que la utilización de símbolos vinculados con la disputa de soberanía contradice las normas de la FIFA que prohíben la exhibición de mensajes políticos, religiosos o personales durante los partidos y eventos organizados por la entidad.

“La FIFA debería tener en cuenta este contexto a la hora de tomar su decisión”, expresaron en referencia a la guerra de 1982 y al impacto que, según sostienen, tuvo aquel conflicto en la población de las islas.

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En la misiva, el presidente de la Asamblea Legislativa también señaló el resultado del referéndum realizado en 2013 sobre el estatus político del territorio, en el que —según indicó— el 99,8% de los votantes se pronunció a favor de continuar como territorio británico de ultramar.

“El fútbol es, ante todo, un deporte, y la política del Gobierno de las Islas Falkland es que no se introduzca la política en el deporte”, afirmó el texto, que respaldó además las declaraciones del ministro británico Peter Kyle sobre la separación entre política y competencias deportivas.

Hasta el momento, la FIFA no informó si abrirá una investigación ni si tomará alguna medida disciplinaria por la celebración de los futbolistas argentinos tras el triunfo ante Inglaterra.

Esta es la carta completa:

Gobierno de las Islas Falkland, Oficina de la Asamblea Legislativa, Sulivan House, Ross Road, Stanley, Islas Falkland. Teléfono: +500 27451. Correo electrónico: assembly@sec.gov.fk

16 de julio de 2026

Comisión Disciplinaria de la FIFA FIFA-Strasse 20 8044 Zúrich Suiza

Estimados señores y señoras:

Asunto: Manifestación de mensajes políticos por parte de la selección nacional de Argentina tras el partido entre Inglaterra y Argentina, celebrado el 15 de julio de 2026

Les escribo en nombre de la Asamblea Legislativa de las Islas Falkland, el órgano elegido democráticamente que representa al pueblo de las Islas Falkland, en relación con un asunto ocurrido tras el partido entre Inglaterra y Argentina del 15 de julio de 2026.

Tras la victoria de Argentina, varios miembros de la selección argentina mostraron un cartel en el que se leía “Las Malvinas son argentinas”, en lo que constituyó una clara declaración política relacionada con la soberanía de las Islas Falkland. También se filtraron videos tras el partido entre Argentina y Egipto en los que la selección argentina entonaba cánticos sobre las Islas Falkland en sus vestuarios. Nos decepciona, aunque lamentablemente no nos sorprende, este tipo de comportamiento, ya que no es el primer incidente de este tipo: la Asociación Argentina de Fútbol fue sancionada con 20 000 libras por la FIFA en 2014 por una conducta similar.

Planteamos este asunto a la atención de la FIFA por los siguientes motivos:

1. Coherencia con las propias normas de la FIFA. Los Estatutos y el Código Disciplinario de la FIFA prohíben el uso de los partidos y las instalaciones de fútbol para transmitir mensajes políticos, religiosos o personales [Código de Conducta en los Estadios de la FIFA, sección 2.14, y Código Disciplinario de la FIFA, artículos 15.1 y 17.2.e].

2. Las personas afectadas por este acto tienen una posición democrática consolidada. Las Islas Falkland son un territorio británico de ultramar diverso, autónomo y autofinanciado; y, como tal, participan a nivel internacional en actividades deportivas, científicas y humanitarias. En el referéndum de 2013 sobre nuestro estatus político, el 99,8 % de los habitantes de las Islas Falkland votó a favor de seguir siendo un territorio británico de ultramar, con una participación de aproximadamente el 92 %, en una votación supervisada de forma independiente por observadores internacionales. Las Islas Falkland fueron invadidas por Argentina en 1982, lo que dio lugar a una ocupación hostil de 74 días. Los acontecimientos de esta guerra dejaron a los habitantes de las Islas Falkland traumatizados, por lo que actos políticos como los que tuvieron lugar tras el partido resultan especialmente insensibles para la población de las Falkland. La FIFA debería tener en cuenta este contexto a la hora de tomar su decisión.

El fútbol es, ante todo, un deporte, y la política del Gobierno de las Islas Falkland es que no se introduzca la política en el deporte, por lo que apoyamos la declaración del ministro británico Peter Kyle en este sentido.

Atentamente,

[Firma manuscrita: Jack Ford]

Jack Ford, diputado y presidente, en nombre de la Asamblea Legislativa de las Islas Falkland.

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is expanding his investigation into the U.S. Postal Service, accusing Postmaster General David Steiner of ignoring congressional oversight while demanding records on the agency’s use of outside restructuring consultants as USPS projects billions more in financial losses.

In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the Missouri Republican said his office has received no documents in response to a June 30 oversight request and informed Steiner that the investigation will now examine USPS’ hiring of consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal.

«To date, my office has received no documents in compliance with my June 30 letter,» Hawley wrote. «Is it your intention simply to ignore statutory oversight? I expect full compliance with my oversight requests immediately.»

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Hawley said Congress must review USPS’ relationship with Alvarez & Marsal, a restructuring firm Steiner disclosed earlier this year had been hired to help the postal service plan for its financial future.

The senator questioned why USPS is paying outside consultants while projecting another multibillion-dollar loss and continuing to award executive bonuses.

«It is surprising to me that as you complain about this monetary crisis, you and other USPS executives continue to rake in annual bonus packages and have found plenty of cash to hire these outside consultants like A&M — all while service declines and far too many Americans are not receiving their mail,» Hawley wrote.

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Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., appears during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Eric Lee/Getty Images)

Hawley is requesting records detailing who hired Alvarez & Marsal, how much the firm has been paid and whether it was asked to recommend closing rural post offices, limiting rural delivery or reviewing executive compensation. He also inquired about whether USPS plans to release the firm’s recommendations to Congress or the public.

The expanded investigation comes weeks after Fox News Digital first reported Hawley launched an oversight probe into USPS over dumped mail in St. Louis, demanding records on delayed deliveries, possible criminal misconduct and executive bonuses.

That inquiry followed a contentious Senate hearing in June, where Hawley pressed Steiner over thousands of pieces of dumped mail discovered in St. Louis.

Hawley later criticized the postmaster general for saying he was unaware of the incident and publicly called for his resignation if he refused to return his performance bonus.

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A row of USPS delivery trucks parked outside a postal site. (Spencer Jones/GHI/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

In his latest letter, Hawley said the USPS has yet to comply with his original document requests.

Hawley noted USPS has lost an estimated $25 billion over the past three fiscal years and is projecting at least an $8.1 billion loss in fiscal year 2026 despite reforms Congress approved in 2022 to improve the agency’s finances.

«If the Postal Service plans to address its losses through hiring A&M, then Congress must be apprised of the nature of the engagement and A&M’s recommendations to ensure that USPS service standards — such as universal service and rural delivery — do not continue to decline in any agency restructuring plan,» Hawley wrote.

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The senator requested USPS respond to his expanded oversight questions by July 24.

USPS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.