Podcast Summary: Securing America with Frank Gaffney – November 15th, 2025

Overview

In this episode of “Securing America,” host Frank Gaffney is joined by Captain James Fennell, US Navy (ret.), to analyze international threats facing the United States, with special focus on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The episode explores the CCP’s multifaceted challenge to global security, its alliances with anti-US actors, the erosion of Western institutions by infiltration, and the urgent need for renewed American vigilance at home and abroad. The hour-long conversation moves from Europe’s shifting demographics, through Asia-Pacific tensions, to cyber and AI warfare, and the United States’ strategic vulnerabilities in shipbuilding and infrastructure.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Europe’s Changing Security Landscape and Parallels to the US

• Frank Gaffney opens by recalling the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris terror attacks, warning that the security issues that traumatized France have only worsened, echoing similar vulnerabilities emerging in the US due to mass migration and a lack of vigilance.

  • Quote: “Failing to learn and respond appropriately to the lessons of past jihadism is an invitation to much more of it.” – Frank Gaffney [04:25]

• Captain James Fennell describes his personal observations living in Switzerland since 2015, witnessing waves of unvetted refugees, changing the cultural fabric and security environment in Europe.

  • He draws a parallel to US border security failings, especially “during the Biden years” [09:57].
  • Quote: “The countries of Europe are no longer the countries that people in America have in their mind’s eye... It’s really massively changed.” – James Fennell [07:45]
  • Quote: “I feel like the movie Winds of War...Something’s going to break.” [08:40]

2. The Chinese Communist Party: The “Main Thing”

A. CCP’s Global Strategy and Alliances

• Gaffney and Fennell emphasize that the CCP’s threat is both direct and indirect, heavily interconnected with other anti-US actors such as radical Islamist groups and rogue nation-states (e.g., Iran).
  • The Belt and Road Initiative and the BRICS alliance exemplify China’s efforts to forge global coalitions against the West [10:00–12:52].
  • Quote: “The Chinese Communists are working closely with the various Islamic supremacists even though they’ve got large numbers of Muslims incarcerated in their own country.” – Frank Gaffney [12:00]
  • Fennell: Under Xi Jinping, China is carrying out a “concerted campaign to upend the international order” established after WWII [12:06]

B. Escalating Diplomatic Confrontations — Japan Example

• Gaffney raises the “wolf warrior” diplomacy trend, focusing on a recent Chinese Consul General’s threat to Japan.
  • The Consul General in Osaka suggested Japan’s PM risked “getting her head cut off” if Japan interferes over Taiwan.
  • Fennell calls for a robust response, frustrated by the lack of U.S. condemnation. [17:09–19:39]
  • Quote: “We should have come out and been more clear to say this is not acceptable language in the diplomatic arena...” – James Fennell [18:36]
  • Quote: “These words…were clearly approved by Beijing, they’re unacceptable because of what they are signaling...the growing appetite…for a war with not just us, but Japan as well.” – Frank Gaffney [19:10]

C. CCP Activities in the Americas – Venezuela as Case Study

• China (and Russia, Iran, North Korea) have increased operations in Latin America, especially Venezuela, supporting narco-terror groups and using the region as a launch pad for drugs and influence.

  • Fennell identifies an “alliance building” effort and references the return of the “Monroe Doctrine” as necessary [21:05–23:58].

  • Quote: “Those narco terrorists are being supported…by the national support from China, from Russia, from Iran and North Korea.” – James Fennell [22:00]

  • Quote: “It is a Monroe Doctrine. Don’t even think about it.” [23:32]

  • Gaffney describes the Venezuelan leadership as the “greatest drug cartel in the world” [23:58]

• Fennell notes PRC is aiding Iran in rebuilding military capabilities post-Israel strike. He reinforces the theme of “unrestricted warfare” dominated by the CCP [24:43–25:14].

3. Cyber, Infrastructure, and “Unrestricted Warfare”

• Australia’s intelligence chief warns about CCP cyber attacks (“Salt Typhoon” and “Volt Typhoon”) on critical infrastructure—a warning echoed for the US.

  • Quote: “The references to Salt typhoon and Volt Typhoon were then reiterated by our own FBI…” – James Fennell [30:24]
  • Fennell points out the risks go beyond national targets, directly threatening individuals’ bank accounts, utilities, and commercial sectors.

• Discussion of how open borders facilitate the CCP’s ability to infiltrate (via students, soldiers, or businesspeople).

  • Fennell urges tighter scrutiny of Chinese arrivals and investments, especially near military installations, referencing reports of PLA soldiers entering via the southern US border [34:27–37:46].
  • Quote: “It only took a dozen people to take down the twin towers... it doesn’t take that many people to create severe havoc.” – James Fennell [35:37]

4. American Vulnerabilities: Education, Demographics, and Espionage

• Concerns over the ongoing presence (and possible increase) of hundreds of thousands of Chinese students in US universities.

  • Calls for President Trump to reconsider positions that would permit continued (or expanded) access [33:30–34:27].

• Discussion of Chinese-owned properties near critical US military bases, and the potential for sabotage or espionage [35:37–38:24].

  • Quote: “There are maps out there...that show Chinese owners of property near US Military installations…” – James Fennell [36:33]
  • Gaffney notes all Chinese nationals are subject to PRC law, i.e., must act under CCP orders if required [37:46–38:24].

5. The New “AI Cold War” and Risks to Freedom

• Major segment on the AI arms race with China, referencing the Wall Street Journal’s coverage and the strategic importance placed by both sides on maintaining a lead in chips and generative AI [43:14–47:16].

  • Quote: “He [Trump] is trying to make America great again and keep America first and not let the Chinese Communist Party have controls over these critical areas…” – James Fennell [46:40]

• Both speakers express concern that the US, in trying to ‘win’ the AI race, may adopt surveillance and control mechanisms akin to China’s “digital gulag.”

  • Quote: “We might actually become more like the Chinese...our advances in AI may lead us…to a very dark place, the Digital Gulag.” – Frank Gaffney [47:43]

• Gaffney worries about “Franken AI,” tech that goes beyond human control and threatens freedom [48:30–49:47].

6. Shipbuilding: A National Emergency

• Fennell delivers a sobering net assessment: CCP’s shipbuilding industry is unrivaled—larger than Korea and Japan combined, dwarfing the US capacity 213-to-1 (per ONI).

  • China has outproduced the US Navy 4-5 to 1 for over a decade, with high quality and operational experience. [53:10–54:10]

• US Navy has been cut from 600 to fewer than 300 ships since the 1980s; current deployments stretch limited resources, with real dangers to the nation’s ability to project power and defend itself [54:10–58:36].

  • Quote: “We need to have a large navy that has excess capacity that can respond to crises and not take and destroy the future of our Navy and make us vulnerable at home.” – James Fennell [58:04]

  • Gaffney stresses the need for shipbuilding to become a consistent national priority, not a quick fix.

Notable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Failing to learn and respond appropriately to the lessons of past jihadism is an invitation to much more of it.” – Frank Gaffney [04:25]

• “The countries of Europe are no longer the countries that people in America have in their mind’s eye... It’s really massively changed.” – James Fennell [07:45]

• “The Chinese Communists are working closely with ... various Islamic supremacists even though they've got large numbers of Muslims incarcerated in their own country.” – Frank Gaffney [12:00]

• “It is a Monroe Doctrine. Don’t even think about it.” – James Fennell [23:32]

• “These words…were clearly approved by Beijing, they’re unacceptable because of what they are signaling...the growing appetite…for a war with not just us, but Japan as well.” – Frank Gaffney [19:10]

• “It only took a dozen people to take down the twin towers... it doesn’t take that many people to really create severe havoc.” – James Fennell [35:37]

• “There are maps out there...that show Chinese owners of property near US Military installations…” – James Fennell [36:33]

• “He is trying to make America great again and keep America first and not let the Chinese Communist Party have controls over these critical areas that could threaten our national security and the global security.” – James Fennell [46:40]

• “We might actually become more like the Chinese...our advances in AI may lead us…to a very dark place, the Digital Gulag.” – Frank Gaffney [47:43]

• “China's shipbuilding industry is 213 times the size of the United States. And we see that reflected over the last two decades…” – James Fennell [53:23]

Key Segment Timestamps

• 03:22 Frank Gaffney’s opening reflections on the Paris attacks and global terrorism
• 06:43 Captain Fennell’s view from Europe on demographic/cultural change
• 12:06 Introduction to China’s challenge to the post-WWII order
• 17:09 Wolf warrior diplomacy: China threatens Japan over Taiwan
• 21:05 China, Russia, Iran in Latin America (Venezuela)
• 24:43 PRC aiding Iran’s military recovery
• 29:54 Chinese cyber attacks on critical infrastructure (Australia, U.S.)
• 33:30 Debate on Chinese students in US universities
• 34:27 PLA soldiers and Chinese-owned property near US bases
• 43:14 The “new Cold War” in artificial intelligence
• 47:43 AI arms race and risks of surveillance/digital totalitarianism
• 53:10 Shipbuilding imbalance and strategic naval vulnerability

Conclusion

This episode vividly details the myriad ways in which the US and her allies are under persistent and intensifying pressure from the Chinese Communist Party. With informed urgency, Gaffney and Fennell outline the dangers of strategic complacency—from infiltration and cyberwarfare to industrial decay and technological drift. Their discussion is a call to recognize the lessons of the past, heed present threats, and act resolutely to secure America’s future.

For more, listen to the full episode or follow Frank Gaffney at X and usfuture.org for ongoing analysis.