Hey there, everyone. It is 4 o'clock in New York. I'm Eman Muhyidin in for Nicole Wallace today.

Well, Donald Trump's war of choice with Iran means that the United States is falling behind on the world stage.

That is the alarming conclusion by U.S. intelligence delivered to the highest levels at the Pentagon.

As Donald Trump makes a state visit to China, a brand new report from the Washington Post reveals that the Chinese government is using the war with Iran to undermine the United States, stepping in where the United States has been falling short.

Two officials who have read a report by U.S. intelligence tell the Washington Post that, quote,

since the U.S. and Israel initiated that war with Iran on February 28th, China has sold weapons

to Persian Gulf allies of the U.S. as they struggle to defend their military bases and oil

infrastructure from Iranian missile and drone attacks. Beijing has also assisted countries around the world to meet

their energy needs after the U.S.-Israeli attacks prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Now, the report also notes that China is using the war Trump started to portray the United States

as a rogue nation.

More from the Post reporting.

The report notes that Beijing has incorporated popular criticisms of the war into its public

messaging, labeling the conflict illegal.

Now, in response to this report, a White House spokesperson told the Washington Post

that the United States has, quote, decimated the Iranian regime's

military capabilities in 38 short days and is now strangling what is left of their economy with

one of the most successful naval blockades in history. But as we reported on this program just yesterday,

U.S. intelligence has concluded that Iran's military capabilities remain significant,

and an estimate from the CIA obtained by the Washington Post suggests that Iran can survive a

blockade for at least three to four months, even as the oil supply crisis causes economic

pain in the United States and around the world.

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