US Secretary of Defense Hegseth: We are prepared for war with China
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the US is "prepared" in response to Chinese officials' remarks that they are "ready for any kind of war" with the US in opposition to the Trump administration's tariff policies.
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Speaking to Fox News, Secretary Hegseth was asked about the statement made by the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
Stating that the US "does not want war," Hegseth added that they are nonetheless "prepared" for any potential war with China.
Hegseth said, "Those who want peace must be prepared for war. We are prepared. If we want deterrence against China or any other country, we must be strong."
Noting that US President Donald Trump understands that peace comes with strength, Hegseth added, "That is why we are rebuilding our military. That is why we are re-establishing deterrence based on warrior principles. We live in a dangerous world with strong, rising countries that have very different ideologies."
Following President Trump's decision yesterday to increase tariffs on China from 10 percent to 20 percent, citing "failures in combating fentanyl" entering the country, the Chinese Embassy in Washington had issued a statement on the social media platform X.
The statement read, "If the US truly wants to solve the fentanyl problem, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals. If what the US wants is war, whether it be a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we are ready to fight to the end."