Trump Stacks LEVERAGE on Xi Jinping

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Heritage naval expert Capt. Brent Sadler (ret.) says last week’s White House summit looked successful only because the bar was low. Changing CCP behavior is a fool’s errand unless it benefits Beijing or the cost of breaking deals is too high. What matters now is persistent U.S. follow-through after the limited tariff truce and AI talks.

Trump entered the talks with more leverage than any president since China joined the WTO. The Venezuela oil deal strips Beijing of a major energy and influence hub; the new U.S.–Denmark–Greenland Arctic security pact blocks Chinese ambitions in the High North. Cuba remains the last major foothold and is under strain after losing Venezuelan support.

The U.S. and partners are rolling back China’s inroads in the Central Pacific (Solomon Islands shift, Vanuatu security deal with Australia). Sadler warns this is the moment to press harder, not ease off.

Mark Carney’s warmer approach to Beijing is hard to square with past hostage diplomacy and a deteriorating Chinese business climate. China’s economy is still carrying massive debt, hidden poverty, and pressure from energy prices and lost Venezuelan/Iranian flows. Rare earths and shipbuilding remain Beijing’s main cards.

John Solomon and Amanda Head talk with Sadler, author of the timely naval-strategy book on seizing the initiative in the new Cold War with China.