Trump Announces Declassification of Election Intelligence, Crypto Markets React

US President Donald Trump delivered a primetime address to the nation on July 16, 2026, combining an economic progress report with a controversial announcement about declassified intelligence tied to elections.

In his speech, Trump touted economic gains under his administration, stating that 'our country is safer, stronger, and far wealthier than it has ever been before.' He cited a recent inflation reading, saying 'this week it was announced that inflation saw the largest monthly decline in more than 6 years.'

The core of the speech centered on Trump's claim that his administration would begin releasing documents declassifying intelligence revealing shocking vulnerabilities in US election infrastructure.

Trump alleged that China 'carried out what is believed to be the largest compromise of election data in history,' acquiring 220 million U.S. voter files, and claimed intelligence officials suppressed this information from him and Congress.