Dem Sen. Jack Reed: Poor Conditions Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln Sends a Message to China That We’re Not Prepared

EXCERPT:

REED: “Well, it sends a message to China is we're not as prepared as we were to deter any actions you might take that are contrary to the United States. So we're sending them the signal that, you know, we're missing an action, literally. This is a strategic blunder of the first order, consistent with so many things that Trump has done. You know, his focus on the Americas rather than his focus on the greatest threats we face, which is China and Russia. All of this is strategic miscalculation, very poor plans. They're simply trying to make it up as they go little day by day. And that's going to give the Chinese, I think, unfortunately, the notion that they may be prepared or better able to take us on. And that's the wrong message to send to China.”