DeSantis: Chinese Communist Party Greatest Threat to America

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a speech at The Heritage Foundation today, Ron DeSantis outlined his vision for foreign policy to prioritize and protect America’s vital interests.

“First and foremost, you’ve got to put the American people first,” DeSantis said. “The idea that it’s even distinguishing to say you want a national security strategy that puts America first shows you how far astray we must have gone with some of this stuff.”

THE GREATEST THREAT

“The protection of the lives, safety, and security of our people and the sovereignty of our nation is the fundamental duty of our federal government,” DeSantis added. 

According to DeSantis, the greatest threat to America right now is the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). As president, he says he would unleash America’s full economic potential and prevent the CCP from surpassing America as an economic power. 

DeSantis’ foreign policy recognizes that the CCP presents the greatest threat to America and centers around one idea: “We win and they lose.” As president, DeSantis will ban China and other countries from purchasing land near critical infrastructure and military installations, rebuild America’s navy, and unleash America’s full economic potential to prevent the CCP from surpassing America as an economic power.

“Biden has placed ideological ambitions like the Green New Deal over American energy dominance and independence, which have helped America’s adversaries Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela,” DeSantis said.

“Biden has also sacrificed strong policy against the CCP, which we need in favor of climate talks in a summit with Xi Jinping, all the while China provides patronage to Russia and to Iran,” DeSantis added.

LACKING LEADERSHIP

DeSantis explained that after the Cold War, the U.S. was the only superpower – a unipolar moment. But the U.S. now has a peer competitor, according to DeSantis – the Chinese Communist Party.

Lacking leadership to confront global challenges, DeSantis says his foreign policy proposal would protect the American people from looming threats. 

“The nation is adrift,” DeSantis said. “Foreign policy is rudderless, weak, misguided, and solicitous of America’s adversary. Just think of some of the things that have happened in just these two and a half years. The Afghanistan withdrawal dishonors the sacrifices of our service members, and they abandoned billions worth of military equipment to the Taliban.”

PROTECTING THE AMERICAN LIFE

Guarding against domestic attacks and achieving an enforceable, secure border is top priority for DeSantis. But noting that America’s military strength is rooted in economic strength, DeSantis says the country needs to be strong at home in order to be strong abroad.

“We’ve got to protect the American way of life,” DeSantis said. “This means not only the protections against the predations of foreign nations but also foreign non-state actors, as well as threats that can come domestically. Ensuring that we have an immigration system that strengthens America's culture rather than undermines it is a key part in preserving this American way of life.”