Asian-American groups fear Trump’s escalating rhetoric will fuel prejudice, racism in US

Asian-American groups on Friday slammed US President Donald Trump’s speech, delivered this week, as a dangerous threat to citizens of US minority communities that are already facing attacks and hostility during troubled and deeply partisan times, even as China hawks praised its message and tone. On Thursday during a prime-time address from the East Room of the White House, Trump repeated unsubstantiated claims that Beijing was interfering in US elections, citing his suspicion of what he termed “China’s sinister election meddling” and “the largest compromise of election data in history”. Much of the voter registration data in the previously classified reports that the president cited is disputed and is not new, analysts said. The speech – coming four months before a high-stakes midterm election amid an unpopular war and record-low polling numbers – raised concern that he could attempt to alter or overturn the results even as he repeated unproven claims that he won the 2020 election. China’s foreign ministry dismissed Trump’s comments as factually wrong, aimed at “vilifying China”, while Chinese-American groups said his conspiracy theories threaten to fan an already tense domestic situation. “This is an extension of racism and xenophobic behaviour,” said Joanna Yang Qing Derman, civil rights and national security director with civic group Asian-American Advancing Justice, part of a grass roots network of over 300 community groups. “This kind of escalating rhetoric, this kind of fearmongering, has a real potential backlash on the Asian-American community today.” Irresponsible language has implications, other groups said. “Our research this year found that a majority of Americans believe the rhetoric used by President Trump about China and US-China relations has a negative impact on the treatment of Chinese-Americans,” said Paul Cheung, president of the Committee of 100, a group of prominent Chinese-Americans founded in 1990 by architect I.M. Pei and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. C100 research released in March found that 54 per cent of Asian-Americans experienced some form of “everyday discrimination” at least once a month, ranging from insults and harassment to outright violence, with “perpetual foreigner” bias fuelling higher levels of stress and isolation in the community. “Every time that tensions worsen, Chinese-Americans are the ones who encounter backlash,” added Cheung. “That is why it’s so important to ensure that any claims are accurate, precise, and well-substantiated.” Trump appeals to Maga base with anti-Chinese rhetoric amid polling slump Several political polls peg Trump’s disapproval rate at around 60 per cent, among the lowest for any US president in recent memory, even as he retains fierce loyalty among core “make America great again” supporters. “The president’s speech was so off the wall and weird. He’s just crazy every time he talks about things,” said Ted Gong, president of the 1882 Project Foundation. The name of the anti-discrimination education group references a 19th century exclusion act that outlawed Chinese immigration. “But there is still that raw Maga group,” he added. “What it does is maybe reinforce those guys that already want to be anti-Chinese, that have an excuse for what they’re doing.” A key part of Trump’s televised speech was a call to pass his Save America Act, which he claims would prevent non-citizens from voting. Critics counter that such voting is already illegal under federal law and the real intent is to deny a voice to millions of eligible citizens, including many Asian-American without easy access to passports or birth certificates. “Don’t be fooled. Trump is using conspiracy theories as a pretext for attacking voting rights,” the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus wrote on social media. The bipartisan caucus, made up of 85 lawmakers, is led by Democrat Grace Meng from New York. “If he really cared about foreign election interference, he wouldn’t have cut funding for agencies tasked with protecting our cybersecurity infrastructure,” she said. Caucus member Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, called foul. “The president is creating a false and convenient narrative,” said Khanna. “He is using China to advance a political end, not to raise meaningful national concerns. He is weaponising the US-China relationship to control the elections.” Asian-Americans push back publicly, encourage voter turnout Asian-American civic groups say among the best ways to counter efforts to silence, sideline and demonise their community include education, awareness building, vocal pushback and voting. Asian-Americans, who make up around seven per cent of the country’s 342.6 million population, have been the fastest-growing group of US voters over the past two decades, albeit still on a relatively small base. Between 2020 and 2024, their numbers expanded by 15 per cent, or about two million eligible voters, compared to a three per cent growth rate nationwide. “Last night, President Trump used a prime-time presidential address to continue spreading lies and misinformation about our elections and immigrant communities,” said Katrina Eames, digital manager with Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance, a Pennsylvania-focused advocacy group for Asian-American voters. “Trump’s claims aren’t based in reality – they are just a cover-up for a desperate power grab in 2026,” she added. “We’re not giving Trump and Maga an opportunity to call foul on our elections this November before votes are cast and ballots are counted.” Civic groups said criticising foreign policy issues is fair game, but all too often citizens of Asian descent become collateral damage. “We have to distinguish between the actions of the Chinese government and Chinese-Americans,” said Derman. “It’s never appropriate to hold an entire community responsible.” On Friday, meanwhile, the hardline House Select Committee on China praised the president’s speech and his attacks on the Communist Party [CCP], which it said were overdue. “The newly declassified documents by President Trump confirm that the CCP is continuing its efforts to influence our elections and undermine the American way of life,” said John Moolenaar, a Republican from Michigan and chairman of the advisory committee. “The CCP seeks to weaken us, turn us against one another, hollow out our economy, and undermine our resolve.” The Chinese embassy in Washington said Moolinaar’s allegations were a “serious smear” long proven to be unfounded. “We never interfere in US elections and have zero interest in that,” said spokesman Liu Chang. “The world has actually been witnessing who exactly has wantonly interfered in other countries’ internal affairs … We urge the US to reflect on its behaviour.” Trump’s speech on Thursday was only the latest manifestation of a pattern of discrimination and the denial of land ownership, civil rights and a deserved place in American society stretching back centuries, groups said, including the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the racially motivated killing of Vincent Chin in Detroit in 1982. Trump’s hardline comments towards China come as he is preparing to host a September summit in Washington with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which Beijing has not confirmed. “I feel like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He can’t make a coherent argument. He’ll talk about something, and then the next day [Secretary of State] Marco Rubio says something different,” Gong said. “He can’t do so many things negative towards China. It will prevent him from having a nice conversation with Xi. I don’t know what he’s going to do if he goes further.” Han Li contributed to this story

Asian-American groups fear Trump’s escalating rhetoric will fuel prejudice, racism in US

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Community leaders warn US president’s explosive China election-interference allegations may see rise in anti-Asian hate crimes

Community leaders warn US president’s explosive China election-interference allegations may see rise in anti-Asian hate crimes