Pentagon Report: China's 'Historic' Military Buildup Makes US Homeland 'Increasingly Vulnerable'

It’s a handshake with a clenched fist. The Pentagon has issued a stark warning that China's 'historic' military expansion is making the United States homeland increasingly vulnerable. The annual report, released just before the Christmas holiday, reveals the complex dual-track strategy of the Donald Trump administration toward Beijing.

A Direct Threat to the Homeland

According to the 100-page report delivered to Congress on Tuesday, Beijing’s expanding arsenal of nuclear, maritime, and conventional long-range strike capabilities, alongside its cyber and space power, can “directly threaten Americans’ security.” The report explicitly states, “China’s historic military build-up has made the US homeland increasingly vulnerable.”

This assessment marks a significant shift, suggesting the threat from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is no longer a distant, regional concern but a direct challenge to the continental United States.

Peace Through Strength, Not Strangulation

Despite the severe tone, the Pentagon report also offers an olive branch. “We do not seek to strangle, dominate, or humiliate China,” it asserts, clarifying that Washington's aim is to “deny the ability of any country in the Indo-Pacific to dominate us or our allies.” This reaffirms the administration's 'peace through strength' doctrine, where overwhelming military power is seen as the primary deterrent to conflict.

Curiously, the document also claims that under President Trump’s leadership, military relations between the US and China “are stronger than they have been in many years.” The Pentagon added that it would support efforts to build on that momentum with the PLA, signaling a desire to keep military-to-military communication channels open.