The Briefing with Albert Mohler Wednesday, May 13, 2026
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May 13, 2026 Discussion of President Trump’s tightly scripted trip to Beijing and the high-stakes choreography of state visits. Examination of reports about Chinese spies and alleged infiltration of U.S. political offices. Exploration of diplomatic protocol, honor culture, and the odd theater of security measures. Notice of Dr. Marty Makary’s departure from the FDA and its political implications.
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Diplomacy Happens In Fifteen Minute Blocks
- Summit meetings concentrate diplomacy into tightly scripted 15-minute segments where rank and protocol shape outcomes.
- Albert Mohler notes every detail is choreographed, so being assigned the wrong car or seat signals status and affects perceptions.
Nixon Went To China To Triangulate Power
- Nixon's 1972 China visit reframed global strategy by triangulating the US, China, and the Soviet Union.
- Mohler explains triangulation shifted Cold War dynamics and opened formal US-China relations with the Shanghai Communique.
China As A Civilizational Rival
- China presents a civilizational alternative shaped by a long historical view and a different worldview from the West.
- Mohler contrasts China's cyclical, millennia-spanning perspective and one-party Marxist control with Western Christian-derived ideas of human dignity.