Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doubled down on his support for strikes against alleged drug boats, saying they have "only just begun". The comments come as a new book reveals China's state-run espionage campaign against the US. According to the book, China has used multiple tactics, including hacking into government databases and using social media to spread disinformation.
Hegseth, who is also the former governor of Alaska, made his remarks in an interview with CBS News. He expressed confidence that the US military would be able to track down and capture key figures in China's espionage network.
However, some experts warn that Hegseth's comments may have unintended consequences. "By saying they've only just begun," Hegseth may inadvertently escalate tensions between the US and China, said a former Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It could be seen as a provocation."
The book that Hegseth referenced in his interview is titled "Inside the Trump White House" by Jonathan Swan and Philip Rucker. It's expected to be released next month.
Meanwhile, China has denied any wrongdoing in the espionage campaign described in the book. The Chinese government claims that its spy network in the US is focused on collecting intelligence on national security threats, not spying on civilians or businesses.
The situation highlights the growing concerns about China's expanding global influence and its efforts to use espionage as a tool of statecraft. As Hegseth suggested, the US military must be vigilant in tracking down Chinese spies and disrupting their networks.
However, some experts caution that simply increasing strikes against alleged Chinese spy boats may not be enough. "We need to take a more holistic approach," said one expert. "This includes improving cybersecurity measures, educating the public about the risks of Chinese espionage, and developing strategies to counter China's propaganda efforts."
Hegseth's comments have sparked a heated debate in Washington over whether the US should increase its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. While some argue that this would be an effective way to deter China, others say it could lead to unintended consequences.
For his part, Hegseth has vowed to continue pushing for increased action against China's espionage network. "We need to stay ahead of the curve," he said. "We can't let China's spies get the upper hand."
Hegseth, who is also the former governor of Alaska, made his remarks in an interview with CBS News. He expressed confidence that the US military would be able to track down and capture key figures in China's espionage network.
However, some experts warn that Hegseth's comments may have unintended consequences. "By saying they've only just begun," Hegseth may inadvertently escalate tensions between the US and China, said a former Pentagon official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It could be seen as a provocation."
The book that Hegseth referenced in his interview is titled "Inside the Trump White House" by Jonathan Swan and Philip Rucker. It's expected to be released next month.
Meanwhile, China has denied any wrongdoing in the espionage campaign described in the book. The Chinese government claims that its spy network in the US is focused on collecting intelligence on national security threats, not spying on civilians or businesses.
The situation highlights the growing concerns about China's expanding global influence and its efforts to use espionage as a tool of statecraft. As Hegseth suggested, the US military must be vigilant in tracking down Chinese spies and disrupting their networks.
However, some experts caution that simply increasing strikes against alleged Chinese spy boats may not be enough. "We need to take a more holistic approach," said one expert. "This includes improving cybersecurity measures, educating the public about the risks of Chinese espionage, and developing strategies to counter China's propaganda efforts."
Hegseth's comments have sparked a heated debate in Washington over whether the US should increase its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. While some argue that this would be an effective way to deter China, others say it could lead to unintended consequences.
For his part, Hegseth has vowed to continue pushing for increased action against China's espionage network. "We need to stay ahead of the curve," he said. "We can't let China's spies get the upper hand."
I'm not sure what's more concerning here - the alleged Chinese espionage campaign or Defense Secretary Hegseth's double down on strikes against 'drug boats'. Like, what even are we talking about now? 
I need some context on these "drug boats" and how they relate to China's espionage. And btw, where's the source on this alleged book "Inside the Trump White House"? Not buying it without more info. 
Let's get some facts straight before we start dropping bombs.
. maybe the problem is that our military presence in asia isn't good enough yet 
. instead of increasing strikes, we should focus on building our cyber defense capabilities 
and educating people about chinese propaganda 
. it's not an easy situation, but i think hegseth is coming from a good place 
.
I'm seeing a lot of people jumping at the chance to pounce on China, but have we really thought this through? 
It feels like we're just playing into their narrative. What we really need is some solid strategy on how to take them down, not just more noise and bluster. 
We already know that China's espionage campaign is a serious threat, but do we really need to escalate tensions by launching more strikes against alleged spy boats? 
I'd rather see some concrete evidence of wrongdoing before we start taking drastic measures. What if this is just another case of the US military jumping the gun and getting bogged down in a quagmire? 
... and it's not like China hasn't already denied any wrongdoing anyway 
We need to think about how our actions might affect innocent people and not just focus on beating China at espionage 
... maybe it's time to work together with other countries to find a more peaceful solution 
What's the real goal here? Is it just about show of force or are we actually getting closer to stopping China's espionage network? 
.
. some experts think it could lead to more tensions between us and china which is not what we need right now 
. we should focus on improving cybersecurity measures, educating the public, and developing strategies to counter their propaganda efforts 
.
. I mean, we already know China's got some serious espionage games on us, but do we really need to start throwing punches? 
. We need to take a step back and think about what we're really doin' here. I'm not sayin' China's actions are cool or anything, but we can't just keep reactin' without thinkin' about the bigger picture 
? I mean, I'm not an expert or anythin', but it seems like we're already doin' a lot to counter China's espionage. We just need to make sure we're doin' it in a way that don't hurt anyone else 
.
. I'm not sayin' I trust China or anythin', but we need to be careful about how we're respondin' to this situation. We don't wanna end up in some kinda cold war 
. That's just gonna lead to a whole lot of hurt and no good comin' outta it 
. We need to think about long-term solutions, not just short-term fixes 
.