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Secretary of the Navy John Phelan told Lara Trump on My View that to remain a superpower America must remain a sea power, a blunt but necessary reminder that our security rides on the strength of our Navy. His comments, made as he reflected on 250 years of American seapower, cut through Washington spin and reminded patriots that deterrence is not optional.
Phelan’s seriousness matters because he’s not a career bureaucrat — he was confirmed and sworn in this spring to shake up a Navy that too long suffered strategic drift and underinvestment. His outsider perspective and willingness to call out hard truths should be welcomed by anyone who believes in robust national defense.
Make no mistake: the Chinese regime is building the tools of global power, not just regional dominance, and their shipyards and new carriers are tangible proof of intent. Beijing’s Fujian carrier and rapid expansion of blue-water capabilities demonstrate an ambitious, state-directed program to project force far beyond its shores — exactly the kind of threat a serious Navy must be prepared to meet.
Washington must quit pretending that free trade alone will keep America safe while outsourcing our shipyards, docks, and supply lines to strategic competitors. Congressional assessments and national security studies warn that China’s control of shipbuilding and maritime infrastructure poses a real risk to American commerce and wartime logistics, which is why maritime de-risking and a revival of American shipbuilding are not ideological fantasies but urgent priorities.
The administration’s pushback against Beijing’s grab for global ports and influence is overdue and necessary; the United States should back policies that restore American control over critical maritime chokepoints and break China’s stranglehold on strategic logistics. If we allow Chinese economic leverage over ports and global shipping to persist, we invite coercion in peacetime and vulnerability in war — a reality every patriot should find unacceptable.
Phelan’s message is a clarion call to rebuild our fleet, modernize infrastructure, and reforge alliances that defend free seas and free commerce. Conservatives who love this country should demand budgets and policies that reflect the seriousness of the challenge — more ships, more shipyards, tougher industrial policy, and an unapologetic restoration of American maritime leadership.
This is not saber-rattling; it is honest stewardship of American power. Hardworking Americans who value peace through strength should stand behind leaders like Phelan who understand that preserving liberty requires resolve, resources, and a Navy capable of defending the American way of life on every ocean.
