By Tony Lopez
The main enemies of America are the CRINK group – China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which the CIA says “individually and collectively—are challenging US interests in the world by attacking or threatening others in their regions, with both asymmetric and conventional hard power tactics, and promoting alternative systems to compete with the US, primarily in trade, finance, and security.”
— CIA
To understand President Donald J. Trump’s shocking tariffs slapped on more than 160 nations including its traditional and closest allies and trading partners, read the latest Central Intelligence Agency’s annual threat assessment report.
The US has vaunted economic and military might: $28 trillion GDP, 25% of the world; the world’s still unrivalled military superpower. Still, America feels insecure and threatened.
Donald’s response to the threats, bizarrely, are reciprocal tariffs, a minimum of 10%, on countries like Singapore, and 76% average tariff, on China–more than 20 times 2018’s, during Trump’s first term.
China No. 1 threat to the US
Among nations counted as threats to the US, China is No. 1. “China presents the most comprehensive and robust military threat to US national security,” says the CIA.
“The PRC seeks to compete with the US as the leading economic power in the world. The strategy calls for a centralized, state-directed, and nationally resourced approach to dominating global markets and strategic supply chains, limiting foreign competitors, and making other nations dependent on China,” warns the CIA.
Actually, China’s economy is now bigger than America’s. Its GDP in purchasing power parity is $39.44 trillion in 2025, with a per capita GDP of $28,010, making it the largest economy globally. US’s GDP, PPP, is $30.37 trillion.
AI technology matched
In technology, China’s free DeepSeek, developed for only $5 million, is seen as as good, if not better than ChatGPT, developed at a cost of billions.
China’s bioeconomy is now worth $3.3 trillion.
“China has made progress in producing advanced 7-nanometer (nm) semiconductor chips for cryptocurrency mining and cellular devices using previously acquired deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography equipment, but will face challenges achieving high-quality, high-volume production of these chips without access to extreme ultraviolet lithography tools,” says the CIA.
“Beijing has prioritized technology sectors such as advanced power and energy, AI, biotechnology, quantum information science, and semiconductors, further challenging US efforts to protect critical technologies by tailoring restrictions narrowly to address national security concerns.”
The CIA’s 2025 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA) combines intelligence from various agencies on threats to US citizens, US homeland, and US interests in the world.
Foreign actors
These are foreign actors targeting US health and safety, critical infrastructure, industries, wealth, and government. State adversaries and their proxies are trying to weaken and displace US economic and military power in their regions and across the globe. Both state and nonstate actors pose multiple immediate threats to the homeland and US national interests.
Among the threats: Terrorist and transnational criminal organizations; cartels, largely responsible for the more than 52,000 US deaths from synthetic opioids and which helped facilitate nearly three million illegal migrant arrivals in 2024; and cyber and intelligence actors targeting US wealth, critical infrastructure, telecom, and media.
“These threats reinforce each other, creating a vastly more complex and dangerous security environment,” the agency reports.
CRINK
In particular, the main enemies of America are the CRINK group – China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which the CIA says “individually and collectively—are challenging US interests in the world by attacking or threatening others in their regions, with both asymmetric and conventional hard power tactics, and promoting alternative systems to compete with the US, primarily in trade, finance, and security. They seek to challenge the US and other countries through deliberate campaigns to gain an advantage, while also trying to avoid direct war.”
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is a world-class military by 2049. This year, it launches its third aircraft carrier (CV-18 Fujian).
China most persistent cyber threat
China “remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to US government, private-sector, and critical infrastructure networks. The PRC’s campaign to preposition access on critical infrastructure for attacks during crisis or conflict, tracked publicly as Volt Typhoon, and its more recently identified compromise of US telecommunications infrastructure, also referred to as Salt Typhoon, demonstrates the growing breadth and depth of the PRC’s capabilities to compromise US infrastructure.”
“China’s dominance in the mining and processing of several critical materials is a particular threat, providing it with the ability to restrict quantities and affect global prices…. A prolonged cessation in supplies controlled by China could disrupt critical inputs needed for US industry and technological advancements.”
“China seeks access to the Arctic’s potentially vast natural resources, including oil, gas, and minerals, even though China is not among the eight Arctic countries that control territory in the region. Beijing seeks to normalize more direct and efficient maritime shipping routes to Russia and other Northern Hemisphere areas, to fuel its economic growth and energy security and reduce its dependence on Middle East energy.”
Why Trump wants Greenland
Why is Trump interested in Greenland? Explains the CIA:
“China has gradually increased engagement with Greenland mainly through mining projects, infrastructure development, and scientific research projects. Despite less active engagement right now, China’s long-term goal is to expand access to Greenland’s natural resources, as well as to use the same access as a key strategic foothold for advancing China’s broader and economic aims in the Arctic.”
In armaments, CIA suspects “the PLA Rocket Force probably is fielding the DF-27 ballistic missile, with a hypersonic glide vehicle payload option and an estimated range of between 5,000 and 8,000 kilometers. The PLA ground forces are also fielding its most advanced multiple rocket launcher, the PCH191, increasing its long-range, precision strike capability. The PLA already has the capability “to conduct long-range precision-strikes with conventional weapons against the Homeland’s periphery in the Western Pacific, including Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska.”
Beijing has increasingly applied stronger coercive pressure on Taiwan to further its goal of eventual unification. The CIA says “A conflict between China and Taiwan would disrupt US access to trade and semiconductor technology critical to the global economy. Even without US involvement in such a conflict, there would likely be significant and costly consequences to US and global economic and security interests.”