Frank Gaffney

I don't think they've blinked. And I think there's actually something very different going on in China right now. Xi Jinping's been a different kind of leader. We've talked about that before. And there are a lot of off-ramps that were available to Xi Jinping where he might have even been able to improve terms with the United States.

I don't think they've blinked. And I think there's actually something very different going on in China right now. Xi Jinping's been a different kind of leader. We've talked about that before. And there are a lot of off-ramps that were available to Xi Jinping where he might have even been able to improve terms with the United States.

I don't think they've blinked. And I think there's actually something very different going on in China right now. Xi Jinping's been a different kind of leader. We've talked about that before. And there are a lot of off-ramps that were available to Xi Jinping where he might have even been able to improve terms with the United States.

I don't want him to, but those options were probably there if he'd have... Maybe used a little bit of conversation and sugar at the beginning of this administration and after these announcements. But at every turn, Xi Jinping has chosen escalation and confrontation and still is. So, I don't think they blinked yet. I do think they're under pressure. They just have a different kind of system.

I don't want him to, but those options were probably there if he'd have... Maybe used a little bit of conversation and sugar at the beginning of this administration and after these announcements. But at every turn, Xi Jinping has chosen escalation and confrontation and still is. So, I don't think they blinked yet. I do think they're under pressure. They just have a different kind of system.

I don't want him to, but those options were probably there if he'd have... Maybe used a little bit of conversation and sugar at the beginning of this administration and after these announcements. But at every turn, Xi Jinping has chosen escalation and confrontation and still is. So, I don't think they blinked yet. I do think they're under pressure. They just have a different kind of system.

And so, they have... warehouses that are getting too full and stuff not moving, ports that are getting empty. They're going to feel this, and they're going to feel it worse than we do.

And so, they have... warehouses that are getting too full and stuff not moving, ports that are getting empty. They're going to feel this, and they're going to feel it worse than we do.

And so, they have... warehouses that are getting too full and stuff not moving, ports that are getting empty. They're going to feel this, and they're going to feel it worse than we do.

The question is the tolerance within China for eating bitterness, as they say in Chinese, versus Americans, who might start seeing some pressure at the pump and change in supplies, and small businesses might get squeezed.

The question is the tolerance within China for eating bitterness, as they say in Chinese, versus Americans, who might start seeing some pressure at the pump and change in supplies, and small businesses might get squeezed.

The question is the tolerance within China for eating bitterness, as they say in Chinese, versus Americans, who might start seeing some pressure at the pump and change in supplies, and small businesses might get squeezed.

Well, it's a fair test because there haven't been very many examples of Western leaders or counterparts to China that have been aggressive. For most of the last half century, the West has been pretty generous and accommodating, allowing China to skate under the radar as a developing economy, even though they're top tier on technology and eating our lunch. several different ways.

Well, it's a fair test because there haven't been very many examples of Western leaders or counterparts to China that have been aggressive. For most of the last half century, the West has been pretty generous and accommodating, allowing China to skate under the radar as a developing economy, even though they're top tier on technology and eating our lunch. several different ways.

Well, it's a fair test because there haven't been very many examples of Western leaders or counterparts to China that have been aggressive. For most of the last half century, the West has been pretty generous and accommodating, allowing China to skate under the radar as a developing economy, even though they're top tier on technology and eating our lunch. several different ways.

So it's a fair proposition to wonder. The main counter argument to the thesis is that there was a first Trump term. It wasn't like this in terms of the rakes of tariffs going up and other kinds of pressure. But at the same time, China hadn't been pressing quite the same in the first term either. Now, at the end of it, they did give us the gift of COVID.

So it's a fair proposition to wonder. The main counter argument to the thesis is that there was a first Trump term. It wasn't like this in terms of the rakes of tariffs going up and other kinds of pressure. But at the same time, China hadn't been pressing quite the same in the first term either. Now, at the end of it, they did give us the gift of COVID.

So it's a fair proposition to wonder. The main counter argument to the thesis is that there was a first Trump term. It wasn't like this in terms of the rakes of tariffs going up and other kinds of pressure. But at the same time, China hadn't been pressing quite the same in the first term either. Now, at the end of it, they did give us the gift of COVID.

and lied about it and there were consequences of that. But I think we're dealing with a more aggressive China now than even during Trump's first term. So to me, the dominant variable is Xi.

and lied about it and there were consequences of that. But I think we're dealing with a more aggressive China now than even during Trump's first term. So to me, the dominant variable is Xi.