Opinion | Trump Isn’t That Serious About Defeating Xi
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
The NSS might talk a good game, but the administration has scored own goals on TikTok and Nvidia chips.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The familiar framing in pieces like “Trump isn’t that serious about defeating Xi” assumes seriousness is measured by how many policies Washington can stack on paper. It treats China as a messaging test, not a strategic competitor with leverage over supply chains, data, and capital.
Yes, TikTok and advanced chips matter, but the deeper question is whether we have a coherent theory of strength. Conservatives care less about virtue-signaling “toughness” and more about credible deterrence, economic leverage, and closing loopholes that let Beijing benefit from our openness. If Nvidia rules are porous or TikTok enforcement is selective, that is not a PR problem. It is a public trust problem.
A serious China strategy means rule of law applied consistently, industrial policy that does not pick favorites, and national security that is not outsourced to headlines. The principle at stake is simple: strategy is measured by results, not rhetoric.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.