During a campaign speech, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington is collecting intelligence on Russia and China, adding that the American side does it 'even better' than its opponents. The US leader's remarks were made at a rally before Republican supporters in Iowa and were reported by a number of agencies, including TASS and the Magno News broadcast, referenced by RBC-Ukraine.
Context of the Speech
The speech took place amid preparations for the midterm congressional elections, which require the mobilization of the electorate. According to sources, the rally in Iowa became another stop in the election campaign where Trump, out of habit, shifted the audience's attention from criticizing opponents to themes of foreign policy and national security. It was in this vein that he spoke about US intelligence activities.
What Trump Exactly Said
According to the president, someone in attendance informed him that China and Russia are spying on the United States. In response, he recounted, he stated: 'That's true, and we're doing the same to them. But we're doing it even better, so don't worry about it.' Trump did not specify the volume of intelligence information in question, nor did he name specific agencies or explain with whom and when he discussed the topic.
Background: Espionage Cases Around the US
The statement came against the backdrop of a series of high-profile espionage cases. On October 4, the FBI detained California resident Wanying Zhang, who is charged with spying on the son of the Taiwan president under instructions from Chinese officials. Additionally, in August 2025, a federal grand jury in San Diego, California, found a 25-year-old sailor guilty of espionage for China: according to the investigation, he transmitted military information to Chinese intelligence services.
Assessing the Scale
Earlier, according to the WSJ, China has reportedly built an intelligence network of about 600,000 people, while Western countries, according to the same reports, lack sufficient resources to counter such a network. Against this backdrop, Trump's statement that the US collects intelligence 'even better' was not supported by specific figures or public details on the working methods of American intelligence agencies.
