NatSec Matters Venezuela, China, and America's Secrets: David Shedd & Andrew Badger
Dec 3, 2025
David Shedd, former acting director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and Andrew Badger, a corporate risk advisor and espionage expert, dive into urgent geopolitical issues. They forecast potential U.S. military actions against Venezuela and discuss the implications of regime change. The duo also sheds light on their book, revealing China's extensive espionage strategies, emphasizing the alarming scale of intellectual property theft tied to Beijing's ambitions. Key topics include simmering U.S.-China tensions and corporate vulnerabilities amid national security threats.
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WTO Entry Fueled Systematic IP Transfer
- Since China joined the WTO, theft of U.S. IP accelerated into a massive wealth transfer enabling China's tech rise.
- The FBI estimates annual losses between $225 billion and $600 billion aiding Made in China 2025 goals.
Xi Built A Massive, Targeted Intelligence Apparatus
- Xi centralized and rapidly expanded the MSS, turning it into a premier global intelligence organization focused on Made in China 2025 targets.
- The MSS now conducts whole-of-society collection against 10 prioritized tech sectors.
Volt Typhoon: Malware Laying In Wait
- Microsoft discovered Volt Typhoon malware in U.S. energy and infrastructure systems that could enable kinetic effects.
- Andrew Badger warns these implants lay in wait to be used in a geopolitical crisis like a Taiwan conflict.
