Retired Navy pilot warns Trump administration of growing Chinese threat

Julie Roland, a former Navy lieutenant commander and helicopter pilot, told the Fulcrum that President Trump seems either duped or in denial about the strategic danger posed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. She cites the recent redeployment of the carrier USS George Washington to the 5th Fleet, leaving the 7th Fleet without an aircraft carrier in the Pacific, and a four-day power outage on the destroyer USS Benfold as signs of a diminishing U.S. naval footprint.

Roland emphasizes that China now fields more than 2 million active troops, a navy exceeding 370 vessels, and a shipbuilding capacity vastly outpacing the United States, while also expanding its influence through humanitarian aid as U.S. aid programs shrink. She recalls former admirals warning that China could act on Taiwan within a few years, yet notes the current administration offers no explicit policy and appears overly deferential to Xi. Additionally, Roland mentions Trump’s decision to scale back joint drills with South Korea, despite reports that China is supplying Iran with thousands of missiles, underscoring broader concerns among Pacific allies.