Donald Trump is returning to one of the oldest rhetorical ticks of his political career—channeling blame for Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election over to China.

In his Sunday interview with 60 Minutes, Trump was asked about Russian efforts to steal emails and distribute them to harm Hillary Clinton’s chances, as described by U.S. intelligence agencies and federal prosecutors, and he said, Well, maybe China did it. Or, to be more precise: “I’m saying Russia, but I’m also saying China.”

Lesley Stahl: –do you believe that the Russians interfered in the 2016 campaign election? Our election- President Donald Trump: They– they meddled. But I think China meddled too. Lesley Stahl: But why do you– President Donald Trump: And I think other countries– Lesley Stahl: –say China meddled too? President Donald Trump: And you wanna know something? Lesley Stahl: Why do you say Chi– why don’t you just say– President Donald Trump: Well, let me ask you– Lesley Stahl: –the Russians meddled? President Donald Trump: Because I think China meddled also. And I think, frankly, China– Lesley Stahl: This is amazing. President Donald Trump: –is a bigger problem. Lesley Stahl: You are diverting the whole Russia thing. President Donald Trump: I’m not doing anything. Lesley Stahl: You are, you are President Donald Trump: I’m saying Russia, but I’m also saying China.



In the first 2016 presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, Trump demurred on Russia’s responsibility for the DNC hack, saying, “I don’t think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC … I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?”

Since then, Trump has grown to accept Russia’s responsibility, with qualifications, but his new tack on China is part of an overall administration strategy to portray China as the United States’ most important adversary, not just on trade but on a whole range of issues, including interference in the U.S. political system.

Both Vice President Mike Pence and Trump have made high-profile accusations against China for interfering in the U.S. political system: Pence at a high-profile speech at a conservative think tank and Trump at the United Nations. But both have been able to muster only scant evidence: Namely an advertorial section in the Des Moines Register in September criticizing Trump’s trade policy, created by a state-owned Chinese newspaper.

Even if fully disclosed, paid-for advertising in a regional newspaper could fall under some vague definition of election interference, that would apply to the 2018 midterms, not the 2016 presidential election. But as long as it doesn’t implicate Russia, to Trump it doesn’t matter.