Experts are highlighting significant internal conflicts within China’s leadership as Trump intensifies economic pressure through increased tariffs. Speaking on Newsmax’s “The Chris Salcedo Show,” retired military officials shared insights about the growing tensions. Retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt revealed unprecedented changes in China’s leadership structure, noting Xi Jinping’s controversial decision to reorganize key politburo positions. “Xi Jinping has a threat; it’s not the United States,” Holt said on “The Chris Salcedo Show.” “It’s the People’s Liberation Army.
There is so much palace fighting going on right now amongst the Chinese Communist Party top elites. Xi Jinping did something yesterday that was absolutely unprecedented. He took what is effectively his personnel manager, the most powerful position in the politburo, and replaced him, switched jobs with the guy who has the United Front, basically their version of the Gestapo.”
Two of Xi Jinping’s top ministers — overseeing personnel management and united front work — have just swapped jobs. The move is unprecedented in the history of the Chinese communist regime and points to major political turmoil brewing inside the Party. For a leader who built his… pic.twitter.com/QTEWMYQSLX
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The internal power struggle has broader implications, as Holt explained further: “So now, what’s happening is those who are loyalists to Xi are falling away, and the Chinese Communist Party is putting in anti-Xi people. Everything you’re seeing about the bluster is a reflection of that turmoil. It could become dangerous for us, given all the illegal Chinese soldiers who are on our landmass right now, the fentanyl labs that are killing over 100,000 Americans, the illegal spying that goes on, and the Confucius Institutes. So, watch China. This is a big deal.”
The economic dimension of this conflict intensified when Trump increased tariffs to 125% following China’s raise to 84% on American imports. Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer emphasized China’s limited economic freedoms, stating “there is no commerce” and that Beijing has merely “liberalized their trade a little bit.” Shaffer elaborated on China’s comprehensive strategy: “The Chinese have engaged in a form of warfare across the board, total warfare – economic, social, military is kind of the last option, which, as Blaine said, even that’s on the table now because of their internal strife.”
🚨🚨🚨 TARIFFS ARE RIPPING CHINA APART. Top China expert Gordon Chang says "there is intense infighting at the top of the Chinese communist party…Xi Jinping's loyalists are now starting to disappear….which means the Chinese regime could very well be on the cliff of… pic.twitter.com/n3fJfFEji7
— 🇺🇸 Freedom Piper Media🇺🇸 (@FreeThinkerInc) April 5, 2025
He stressed America’s need to rebuild domestic capabilities, adding: “But one of the things that we have to pay attention to, no matter what, is that it’s not just about the economics. It’s about the fact that we, the United States, have to reestablish economic dominance in our own right. We have to reestablish industry. We have to reestablish our ability to make our own pharmaceuticals.
Are you kidding me? These are all things which President Trump will push for that go beyond China.” Shaffer concluded by highlighting China’s authoritarian nature: “But, regarding China, make no mistake that everything that’s going on is based on the fact that there’s a handful of people in the Communist Party who run things.
There is no democracy, there is no economic freedom. And that’s why we have to level the playing field. President Trump is simply doing now what politicians have been saying they would do for the past 20 years. He’s taking action. They refused to do so.”
