President Donald Trump told a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday, November 2, that the United States runs its own intelligence operations against China and Russia, and that American operatives do the job better than America's adversaries do.
Speaking at the Iowa Republican Candidates' Campaign Rally two days before Tuesday's midterm elections, Trump brushed aside concerns about foreign espionage and framed the issue as a sign of American strength rather than weakness.
Trump's message to Iowa Republicans: don't worry
According to the Economic Times, Trump recounted a conversation in which advisers warned him about Chinese spying, and he responded that Washington is watching Beijing and Moscow just as closely.
'Somebody said, 'China's spying on us, sir.' I said, 'Yeah, and we're spying on them too. Don't worry about it,'' Trump said.
'They said, 'Terrible! China! Russia! They're spying on us, sir!' I said, 'That's true. And we're doing it to them also, but we do it even better, so don't worry about it. Don't worry,'' the president continued.
The remarks came during a final campaign push before the midterms, as The Statesman reported, with Trump using the Iowa appearance to project confidence in American intelligence capabilities at a moment when foreign spying concerns are drawing fresh public attention.
Chinese agents sentenced for targeting US military
Trump's comments landed just days after a significant federal counterintelligence case wrapped up. On October 30, the US Department of Justice announced that two Chinese nationals had each been sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiring to act as agents of the Chinese government without notifying the US Attorney General.
The defendants were identified as Liren 'Ryan' Lai, 40, and Yuance Chen, 39. According to the Justice Department, both men operated under the direction of China's Ministry of State Security.
Prosecutors said the pair facilitated secret cash payments in exchange for sensitive information and attempted to recruit potential intelligence assets from inside the US military.
What the case revealed about Chinese tactics
Court documents detailed the methods the two men allegedly used. In January 2022, they arranged a clandestine payment of roughly $10,000 through a 'dead drop' in Livermore, California.
Their activities also included collecting photographs of US military installations, naval personnel and recruitment facilities, along with gathering personal information about potential intelligence targets, according to the Tribune's account of the case.
The FBI arrested both defendants on June 27, 2025, following a counterintelligence investigation.
Why the timing matters for Iowa voters
The rally appearance and the sentencing announcement together paint a picture of escalating intelligence competition between the United States and China, with American service members and military facilities as targets. For a state with a strong military tradition and communities tied to national defense, the case is a reminder of the stakes.
Trump's message to the Iowa crowd was that the US is not a passive target. The president's confidence in American intelligence operations, delivered on the eve of the midterms, was aimed at reassuring voters that the country's defenses are standing.
As Dailyprabhat reported, the president framed the espionage question as one where the United States holds the upper hand.
Frequently asked questions
What did Trump say about spying on China and Russia?
At the Iowa Republican Candidates' Campaign Rally on November 2, Trump said the US spies on China and Russia too, and 'we do it even better' than they do.
Who were the Chinese nationals sentenced in the espionage case?
Liren 'Ryan' Lai, 40, and Yuance Chen, 39, were each sentenced to 30 months in prison on October 30, 2026, for conspiring to act as agents of the Chinese government.
What did the Chinese agents do?
Prosecutors said the men, directed by China's Ministry of State Security, arranged a $10,000 dead-drop payment, collected photos of US military installations and tried to recruit assets within the US military.
When were the defendants arrested?
The FBI arrested both men on June 27, 2025, after a counterintelligence investigation.