--- title: China Will Be Next Big Threat to U.S., General Dunford Says description: America's highest-ranked military official says China will pose a greater military threat to the U.S. than any other nation by 2025 canonical: https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/ author: Joseph Hincks article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-09-27T08:45:38.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T17:36:51.591Z article:section: Politics og:title: China Will Be Next Big Threat to U.S., General Dunford Says og:description: Though North Korea is still the most urgent og:url: https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt898be94a1fb4e0d4/6988df91fb4eacb0bd893e4a/gettyimages-842283950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Defense Secretary Mattis Makes Statement On North Korea og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: China Will Be Next Big Threat to U.S., General Dunford Says twitter:description: Though North Korea is still the most urgent twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt898be94a1fb4e0d4/6988df91fb4eacb0bd893e4a/gettyimages-842283950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here’s What a Top General Thinks Is the Next Big Threat to the U.S. > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=3724b3e3-05ca-4c3b-93ab-c73f235a42c0&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=3724b3e3-05ca-4c3b-93ab-c73f235a42c0&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=3724b3e3-05ca-4c3b-93ab-c73f235a42c0&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=3724b3e3-05ca-4c3b-93ab-c73f235a42c0&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Joseph Hincks](https://time.com/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Sep 27, 2017 8:45 AM UTC  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford at the White House on Sept. 3, 2017. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford at the White House on Sept. 3, 2017. Chris Kleponis—Getty Images by [Joseph Hincks](https://time.com/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Sep 27, 2017 8:45 AM UTC China will pose a [greater military threat](http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/26/politics/dunford-us-china-greatest-threat/index.html) to the U.S. than any other nation within the next decade, according to America’s highest-ranked military official, General Joseph Dunford. “I think China probably poses the greatest threat to our nation by about 2025,” Dunford told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Tuesday [hearing](https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/17-09-26-nomination%5F--dunford) on his re-appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CNN reports. Dunford was responding to a question from Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, who asked whether he stood by his 2015 assessment that Russia, followed by China and North Korea, posed the greatest threats to the U.S. in order of severity. He said, however that North Korea poses the most immediate threat to the U.S., “\[i\]n terms of the sense of urgency,” adding that Russia still presented the the greatest overall military threat on the basis of its nuclear, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities and its regional interventions in Crimea and Ukraine. **Read more:** [_President Trump’s U.N. Speech Is Exactly What Kim Jong Un Wanted to Hear_](http://time.com/4949338/donald-trump-north-korea-un/) “\[But\] if I look out to 2025, and I look at the demographics and the economic situation, I think China probably poses the greatest threat,” he said, adding that the country is “focused on limiting our ability to project power and weakening our alliances in the Pacific.” Dunford’s comments come in advance of [Secretary of State Rex Tillerson](http://time.com/4883555/rex-tillerson-north-korea-dialogue/)‘s forthcoming visit to China, which begins Thursday, his second visit throughout his nine months in office. Reuters [reports](http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-tillerson/tillerson-to-discuss-north-korea-crisis-trade-in-china-idUSKCN1C12TO?il=0) that Tillerson is expected to prioritize discussions about the escalating [North Korea crisis](http://time.com/4950248/a-way-forward-in-the-north-korea-crisis/) and lay the groundwork for President Donald Trump’s November visit. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/"},"headline":"Here’s What a Top General Thinks Is the Next Big Threat to the U.S.","datePublished":"2017-09-27T08:45:38.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T17:36:51.591Z","description":"China may soon surpass Russia as America's biggest military foe","url":"https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/","keywords":["China","Military","North Korea","Foreign Policy","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt898be94a1fb4e0d4/6988df91fb4eacb0bd893e4a/gettyimages-842283950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph Hincks","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/joseph-hincks/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt898be94a1fb4e0d4/6988df91fb4eacb0bd893e4a/gettyimages-842283950.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Defense Secretary Mattis Makes Statement On North Korea","caption":"Defense Secretary Mattis Makes Statement On North Korea","creditText":"Chris Kleponis—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/china/","name":"China"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4958679/general-dunford-military-threat/","name":"Here’s What a Top General Thinks Is the Next Big Threat to the U.S."}}]}] ```