COUNTERING CHINA, SECURING AMERICA, AND REDEFINING GLOBAL LEADERSHIP
Ambassador Carla Sands and joined by Fred Fleitz, Vice Chair of the Center for American Security, had a dialogue to lay out a comprehensive vision for restoring American strength abroad—by building strong allies, protecting national sovereignty, and rejecting globalist orthodoxy.
KEY SPEAKERS & HIGHLIGHTS
AMB. CARLA SANDS, CHAIR, AMERICA FIRST FOREIGN POLICY INITIATIVE
A former private sector CEO and U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark (covering Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands), Sands reflected on her frontline efforts to counter China and Russia in Europe:
“We blocked Nord Stream 2, kept Huawei out of the Kingdom, opened a U.S. consulate in Greenland, and I was awarded the Pentagon’s highest civilian honor. Why? Because we were actually securing America’s interests.”
She emphasized that America must invest in its alliances—not through nation-building or war—but by ensuring partners have strong economies, sovereign borders, and shared prosperity.
“America First doesn’t mean America alone. It means building durable alliances with strong, sovereign partners who stand on their own feet.”
FRED FLEITZ, VICE CHAIR, CENTER FOR AMERICAN SECURITY
National security expert Fred Fleitz discussed the return of strategic realism under the second Trump administration:
“President Trump is pragmatic. He bombed Iran after giving them 90 days to stop enriching uranium. That’s diplomacy backed by strength.”
On the new posture toward Russia and Ukraine:
“He’s not giving weapons to Ukraine as a gift—he’s selling them to NATO. That’s still America First. It’s Europe’s job to secure Europe.”
WHY GREENLAND MATTERS
Ambassador Sands—who visited Greenland five times—described its strategic importance:
“The people want independence. They want to speak English, not Chinese. And they want to mine and trade with us—not be a pawn of Beijing.”
She endorsed a future where Greenland might enter into Free Association with the U.S., maintaining independence while partnering on defense and prosperity.
CHINA: THE CENTRAL THREAT
Both Sands and Fleitz were unambiguous:
“China is the existential threat,” said Fleitz. “From IP theft to fentanyl to their military expansion, they must be confronted with strength.”
He praised President Trump’s decisive strategy, including securing $5 trillion in foreign investment, placing successful tariffs, and removing the U.S. from harmful globalist agreements like the WHO and Paris Climate Accord.
IRAN, RUSSIA, AND THE POWER OF PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
From the 12-day war with Iran to pressuring Russia into ceasefires, the conversation returned repeatedly to the importance of credible threats backed by action:
“Trump doesn’t want forever wars. He wants victory—diplomatic if possible, decisive if necessary.”
THE VERDICT: A NEW FOREIGN POLICY DOCTRINE
The America First Foreign Policy Initiative is not isolationist. It’s post-globalist:
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No more nation-building
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No more open borders
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No more globalist guilt
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Strong allies, strong trade, strong America
As Carla Sands concluded:
“It’s an exciting time. We feel safer, more prosperous, and respected again. This is what leadership looks like.”