{"id":6133,"date":"2026-05-16T00:21:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T00:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/trump-returns-from-china-with-nothing-xis-warning-on-taiwan\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T00:21:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T00:21:39","slug":"trump-returns-from-china-with-nothing-xis-warning-on-taiwan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/trump-returns-from-china-with-nothing-xis-warning-on-taiwan\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Returns from China with Nothing. Xi\u2019s Warning on Taiwan."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm\/?e=\" width=\"100%\" height=\"210\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>Hantavirus Outbreak Climbs to 11: Here We Go Again? Mamdani Shamefully Slashes Veterans Services. California\u2019s June Open Primary is Huge Opportunity the Indys. RIP, Donald Gibb AKA Ogre. World Cup Halftime Show.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span>Paul Rieckhoff closes the week with a solo briefing on a scoreboard the cable shows won&#8217;t put on screen. Trump returned from Beijing with no real wins, while a confidential U.S. intelligence assessment \u2014 first reported by The Washington Post \u2014 details how China is exploiting the war in Iran to gain ground on the United States militarily, economically, and diplomatically. Xi looked Trump in the eye and warned that mishandling Taiwan would lead to a clash with America. Trump, asked about promised arms sales to Taiwan on the flight home, sounded ready to sell them out the same way he sold out Ukraine. That&#8217;s not partisan spin. That&#8217;s the read from the no-BS chair.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>From there, Paul walks through a 30-hour Russian missile and drone barrage on Kyiv, Hegseth canceling a U.S. brigade deployment to Poland (a gift-wrapped present to Putin), a new hantavirus cluster on a cruise ship that&#8217;s giving early-COVID d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu, and Mayor Mamdani&#8217;s shameful 13% cut to the NYC Department of Veterans Services right before Memorial Day. He also flags California&#8217;s June open primary as a once-in-a-cycle chance for independents to actually move the needle, salutes Ukraine&#8217;s drone operators schooling NATO at a Swedish exercise, remembers Donald Gibb, and closes with Harrison Ford&#8217;s commencement call to the next generation. Righteous anger, patriotic hope, and a reminder that we&#8217;re all in this together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-WATCH <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Hy8AtYzmZ0o\"><span>full video of this episode here<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-Join Paul for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentveteransofamerica.org\/nyc-may-18\/\"><span>Veterans Meeting the Moment in New York this Monday<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><span><br \/>\n<\/span><span><br \/>\n<\/span><span>-Join <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentveteransofamerica.org\/no-more-forever-wars\/\"><span>IVA and stand up to Trump\u2019s Forever Wars<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-Learn more about Paul\u2019s work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentveteransofamerica.org\/\"><span>Independent Veterans of America<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-Learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/americanveteransforukraine.org\/\"><span>American Veterans for Ukraine here<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-Remember <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/shorts\/do8wjRtDZJ4?feature=share\"><span>Independent is an Attitude<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>-Learn more about<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theheadstrongproject.org\/\"><span> The Headstrong Project <\/span><\/a><span>for Veterans, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.taps.org\/\"><span>Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)<\/span><\/a><span>, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/health-care\/health-needs-conditions\/mental-health\/\"><span>Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area<\/span><\/a><span>. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It\u2019s a show of strength. <\/span><span>If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Connect with Independent Americans:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span>Subscribe on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@independentamericans\"><span>YouTube<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0F1lzdRbTB0XYen8kyEqXe\"><span>Spotify<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/independent-americans-with-paul-rieckhoff\/id1457899667\"><span>Apple Podcasts<\/span><\/a><span>, and all podcast platforms<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Read more at<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentamericans.substack.com\"> <span>Substack<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span>Support ad-free episodes at<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/independentamericans\"> <span>Patreon<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Connect: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/IndependentAmericansUS\/\"><span>Instagram<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0 \u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/indy_americans\"><span>X\/Twitter<\/span><\/a><span> \u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/indyamericans.bsky.social\"><span>BlueSky<\/span><\/a><span> \u2022 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IndependentAmericansUS\/\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PaulRieckhoff\"><span>X<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/paulrieckhoff\/\"><span>Instagram<\/span><\/a><span>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@paulrieckhoff\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/a><span>, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/rieckhoff.bsky.social\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span>&#8211;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/independentamericans\/posts\"><span>Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community<\/span><\/a><span> of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>&#8211;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/independentamericans.us\/merch\/\"><span>And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch<\/span><\/a><span> now in time for the new year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/righteous.us\/\"><span>Righteous Media<\/span><\/a><span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And now part of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bleav.com\/shows\/independent-americans-with-paul-rieckhoff\/\"><span>the BLEAV network<\/span><\/a><span>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href=\"https:\/\/pcm.adswizz.com\">pcm.adswizz.com<\/a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paul Rieckhoff closes the week with a solo briefing on a scoreboard the cable shows won&#8217;t put on screen. Trump returned from Beijing with no real wins, while a confidential U.S. intelligence assessment \u2014 first reported by The Washington Post \u2014 details how China is exploiting the war in Iran to gain ground on the United States militarily, economically, and diplomatically. Xi looked Trump in the eye and warned that mishandling Taiwan would lead to a clash with America. Trump, asked about promised arms sales to Taiwan on the flight home, sounded ready to sell them out the same way he sold out Ukraine. That&#8217;s not partisan spin. That&#8217;s the read from the no-BS chair.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6134,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-episodes","entry"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523.jpg",1400,1400,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523.jpg",1400,1400,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523.jpg",1400,1400,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523-300x300.jpg",300,300,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523-1024x1024.jpg",750,750,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523.jpg",1400,1400,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523.jpg",1400,1400,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ia-promo-square-ep523.jpg",1400,1400,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/author\/admin\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/category\/episodes\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Episodes<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Paul Rieckhoff closes the week with a solo briefing on a scoreboard the cable shows won't put on screen. Trump returned from Beijing with no real wins, while a confidential U.S. intelligence assessment \u2014 first reported by The Washington Post \u2014 details how China is exploiting the war in Iran to gain ground on the&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6133\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.righteous-media.com\/IndependentAmericans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}