Follow us on social

Pompeo

Pompeo tweets, risks war with China over Taiwan

Such chirping from the former secretary of state, who has obvious political ambitions, is reckless and irresponsible.

Analysis | Asia-Pacific

Amid fears of nuclear escalation stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Mike Pompeo tweeted today: 

It is my view that the U.S. government should immediately take necessary, and long-overdue, steps to do the right and obvious thing, that is to offer the Republic of China (Taiwan) America’s diplomatic recognition as a free and sovereign country.

It is remarkable that this statement came from a former Secretary of State, given its basic ignorance of geopolitics. The ultimate reality that Pompeo blithely dismisses in favor of a politically-useful, grandstanding statement, is that formally recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign, independent nation will — in the view of countless experts who know this issue inside and out — put us on a solid path to conflict with the People’s Republic of China. And that will fundamentally threaten Taiwan, as well as raising the prospect of nuclear war.  

For what is Pompeo willing to take this risk? For his political ambitions. His reckless, irresponsible and thoughtless words will put greater pressure on other Republicans to come out in favor of recognizing Taiwan, in an effort to paint Biden as a China appeaser. 

Such pressure will grow even more due to the Ukraine crisis, which is causing some to stupidly assert that the U.S. needs to drop its “One China” policy and put Taiwan in the U.S. defense perimeter. 

For now, Biden will likely resist such nonsense. But what if he loses the Senate in the upcoming midterms, and is under huge pressure going into his re-election campaign, and China is still publicly opposing sanctions on Putin?  

He could take steps short of recognition that are nonetheless sufficient to cross a serious PRC red line. Then we would have two major crises, courtesy of mindless Republican posturing. 

Even if we avoid a Taiwan crisis under Biden, the danger of this reckless grandstanding will loom. Should Pompeo, or another like him, prevail in the 2024 presidential election, these mad plans could actually come into effect — and the results will be disastrous.


Mike Pompeo (FOX News/screengrab)
Analysis | Asia-Pacific
President Trump with reporters
Top photo credit: President Donald Trump speaks with members of the media at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on Sunday, September 7, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Is Israel forcing Trump to be the capitulator in chief?

Middle East

President Donald Trump told reporters outside a Washington restaurant Tuesday evening that he is deeply displeased with Israel’s bombardment of Qatar, a close U.S. partner in the Persian Gulf that, at Washington’s request, has hosted Hamas’s political leadership since 2012.

“I am not thrilled about it. I am not thrilled about the whole situation,” Trump said, denying that Israel had given him advance notice. “I was very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect of it,” he continued. “We’ve got to get the hostages back. But I was very unhappy with the way that went down.”

keep readingShow less
Europe Ukraine
Top image credit: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, President of Ukraine, Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the UK, and Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, emerge from St. Mary's Palace for a press conference as part of the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kiev, May 10 2025, Kay Nietfeld/dpa via Reuters Connect

Is Europe deliberately sabotaging Ukraine War negotiations?

Europe

After last week’s meeting of the “coalition of the willing” in Paris, 26 countries have supposedly agreed to contribute — in some fashion — to a military force that would be deployed on Ukrainian soil after hostilities have concluded.

Three weeks prior, at the Anchorage leaders’ summit press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Ukraine’s security should be ensured as part of any negotiated settlement. But Russian officials have continued to reiterate that this cannot take the form of Western combat forces stationed in Ukraine. In the wake of last week’s meeting, Putin has upped the ante by declaring that any such troops would be legitimate targets for the Russian military.

keep readingShow less
After bombing, time to demystify the 'Qatar lobby'
Top photo credit: The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, is standing third from the left in the front row, alongside the Minister of Culture of Qatar, Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who is at the center, and the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth of Oman, Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, who is second from the right in Doha, Qatar, on May 9, 2024. (Photo by Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto)

After bombing, time to demystify the 'Qatar lobby'

Middle East

On Tuesday, Israel bombed Doha, killing at least five Hamas staffers and a member of Qatari security. Israeli officials initially claimed the US green-lit the operation, despite Qatar hosting the largest U.S. military in the region.

The White House has since contradicted that version of events, saying the White House was given notice “just before” the bombing and claiming the strike was an “unfortunate" attack that "could serve as an opportunity for peace.”

keep readingShow less

LATEST

QIOSK

Newsletter

Subscribe now to our weekly round-up and don't miss a beat with your favorite RS contributors and reporters, as well as staff analysis, opinion, and news promoting a positive, non-partisan vision of U.S. foreign policy.