Donald Trump has officially renamed the Department of Defense, the Department of War. As horrifying as the new name is, it’s certainly more accurate—the department has always been waging war and using the premise of “defense” to justify it. With the new name change, Pete Hegseth is officially the U.S. Secretary of War. Well, what war has he been stoking recently? Other than calling in U.S. troops to invade Latin America, Hegseth’s favorite activity is inciting war on China. 

Hegseth remarked that the name change was going to “restore the warrior ethos” to the U.S. military and “restore victory as an end state.” He said, “The war department is going to fight decisively and it’s going to fight to win,” emphasizing “maximum lethality” and “violent effect.” In what could easily be mistaken as satire, he spouted off a new motto: “Peace through strength, brought to you by the War Department.” 

We think Hegseth needs to learn a thing or two about China and peace, as he clearly lacks expertise on both. 

Ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War that a true warrior achieves peace without ever fighting. Clearly, Hegseth’s over-the-top, toxic, macho male “warrior ethos” rhetoric is severely misguided. It’s not guns and bombs that make a person worthy of respect, but being capable of civilized discussion and resolving conflict without ever resorting to violence. We’re not animals, after all, though Hegseth could certainly give a rabid bull a run for its money. 

To make up for Hegseth’s lack of knowledge about China, its deep philosophical roots, and foundational principles of peace, we’re sending him a copy of The Art of War. As Sun Tzu says, “The enlightened ruler is prudent; the effective general is cautious. This is the way to keep a nation at peace.”

Sign our petition to add your name to the letter we’ll send along with the book.

👉Send Pete Hegseth Ancient Chinese Philosophy! Advise He Learn About the Country He’s Stoking War With!

Earlier this year, Hegseth called China an “imminent threat,” which falls in line with his previous calls for a “holy war” against China, and his giant crusader tattoo that should’ve knocked him out of the running for any political position immediately. He demanded that other Asia Pacific nations spend more on military spending and ally with the U.S. against China, and declared the new $1 trillion war budget will make the U.S. military the “most lethal fighting force in the world.” 

U.S. politicians like Hegseth keep saying that we need to prepare for war with China because China is a threat, but the only threat is the U.S. Department of War and its willingness to go to war, murder civilians, commit human rights abuses, and destroy the planet in order to protect its status as global hegemon. 

During China’s 80th anniversary celebration of the end of World War II, the global war against fascism, Xi Jinping stated, “History cautions us that humanity rises and falls together only when all countries treat each other as equals." China has a long history of emphasizing the need for “peaceful coexistence” between countries through non-interventionism and mutual respect. Meanwhile, the U.S. is already funding think tanks to research the best way to intervene in China, overthrow the government, and insert U.S.-friendly puppet leaders, of which it has a long, long history of doing, all over the globe. 

China’s approach to global politics is rooted in ancient philosophy, its unique development of socialism, and its long history of being invaded and colonized. Traditions of balance, harmony, and collectivity—central to Chinese thought for millennia—continue to inform modern political theory. At the same time, the trauma of two centuries of foreign invasion and partition has instilled in China a strong commitment to sovereignty and non-interventionism. To truly understand China, one cannot rely on a Western lens; one must engage with its philosophy, history, and theory. If Hegseth and the Department of War want to understand China, they should start at the very beginning.

That’s why we’re sending Hegseth a copy of The Art of War. Hopefully, it will inspire him to do some background research on the country he is set on going to war with. It’s time for U.S. leaders to commit to dialogue and understanding rather than weaponizing military and economic force, and promoting pro-war propaganda to manufacture consent. As Sun Tzu says, “all warfare is based on deception.” Don’t let yourself be deceived. 

👉 Advise Secretary of War Hegseth Learn About China Instead of Pushing for War!

Peace and solidarity, 

Megan, Jodie, and the CODEPINK Team

👉Join our Anti-Imperialist Campaign Series’s focus on the China campaign for a timely discussion on the escalating U.S. aggression toward China and how our China Is Not Our Enemy (CINOE) campaign is educating and advocating for peace and diplomacy with China. 

👉 RSVP to our webinar Palestine, China, & the Fight for Humanity to learn about the deep-rooted solidarity between China and Palestine, and how their struggles have long been intertwined in the fight against imperialism.

Contact [email protected] to learn more.

RedNote | Instagram | X