America reassured nervous Asian friends that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan was “neither imminent nor inevitable”. But in a dramatic shift on May 31st Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, said the Chinese threat “could be imminent”;

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday said a Chinese threat to Taiwan is “imminent” as he visited Singapore. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is also reportedly considering ways to revamp President Trump’s intelligent briefings.