Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), a Navy Reserve veteran and member of the House Armed Services Committee, joined Congressman Pat Ryan (NY-18) and 12 fellow Democratic veterans in a letter urging President Trump to confront China over its support to Iran. The lawmakers sent the letter ahead of President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House this week.
On July 17, an Iranian ballistic missile struck sleeping quarters at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, killing three U.S. soldiers and wounding four others. The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of the base from Chinese entities before and after the strike, and that U.S. officials connected that intelligence to the attack.
The lawmakers demanded Trump hold Xi accountable for Beijing’s role in U.S. troop deaths, and that he publicly condemn China’s support for IRGC operations.
“As veterans, we know what it means to send Americans into harm’s way, and we know what is owed to them in return: the truth, and a Commander-in-Chief willing to hold accountable anyone and everyone who might do harm to our troops,” the veterans wrote.
The lawmakers wrote: “We implore you to use your meeting to strongly condemn China’s sharing of satellite information that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. servicemembers in Jordan on July 17th, and demand that President Xi cease any support, cooperation, and information sharing with Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).”
The letter also cited May State Department sanctions on three China-based firms for supplying satellite imagery of U.S. and allied military facilities to Iran.
They continued, “In May, the State Department sanctioned three China-based firms for supplying Iran with satellite imagery of American and allied military facilities. Senior officials in your administration reportedly spent months warning their Chinese counterparts that companies in their country were arming Iran with the targeting data. […] Your meeting with President Xi presents an important opportunity to condemn China’s role in arming and enabling Iran, and to demand an end to their support.”
Goodlander joined the letter alongside Democratic Veterans Caucus Chair Rep. Pat Ryan and Reps. Salud Carbajal, Gilbert Cisneros, Herbert Conaway, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, Ted Lieu, Seth Moulton, Mike Thompson, Derek Tran, and Eugene Vindman.
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