Judging Freedom AMB. Chas Freeman : What Awaits Trump In China
May 12, 2026
Ambassador Chas Freeman, career diplomat and China expert, provides strategic analysis on geopolitics. He discusses Iran's strategic gains and why a campaign failed militarily. He outlines a Russia-Iran-China entente and economic risks to the petrodollar. He explains what a U.S. leader can expect in China and critiques poor summit preparation and depleted military readiness.
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Iran's Control Of The Strait Of Hormuz
- Iran now controls the Strait of Hormuz, shifting strategic leverage and undermining U.S. power and prestige.
- Chas Freeman says this control means the world will constrain Israeli action and marks a major strategic reversal for the U.S.
Wishcasting Led To Strategic Failure
- The U.S. and Israel misjudged Iran by overestimating their capabilities and underestimating Iran's asymmetric preparations.
- Freeman calls it wishcasting and explains Iran prepared a war of attrition using land-based missiles and drones to control the seas.
An Entente Not An Alliance Among Rivals
- China, Russia, and Iran form an entente based on mutual interest in state sovereignty and resisting wars of aggression.
- Freeman compares this to a wartime entente: limited partnership for shared aims, not a full alliance.