Robert Spalding

Robert S. Spalding III (born 1966)[1] is a retired United States Air Force brigadier general.[2] He currently serves as a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. His work focuses on U.S.–China relations, economic and national security, and the Asia-Pacific military balance.[3]

Spalding in September 2016

Education

Spalding earned a B.Sc. degree and M.Sc. degree in Agricultural Business, Fresno State University, Fresno, California in 1987 and 1993, followed by a Ph.D. in Economics and Mathematics from University of Missouri, Kansas City in 2007 and a second M.Sc. in Strategic Studies from Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama in 2008.[2]

Career

He was promoted to brigadier general in November 2016. From December 2016 to May 2017, he was U.S. Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché to China, Beijing and from May 2017 to January 2018, Senior Director for Strategic Planning, National Security Council, White House, Washington D.C.[2]

While at the National Security Council, Spalding notably wrote a memo calling for nationalizing the development of 5G wireless network.[4] Spalding's advocacy was reportedly deemed outside his authority and he was subsequently asked to leave the NSC.[5][6] He has since been notable as a critic of China.[7][8][9]

Spalding served as a board member of We Build A Wall, the fundraising group that saw four of its members, including former President Trump's Advisor Steve Bannon, indicted on fraud charges on August 20, 2020,[10] “I would like to wait and see what happens. It is the case that we’re presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Spalding told the Guardian when allegations of fraud surfaces. “If it is proven true of course I would be disappointed.”[11] Bannon was later pardoned by Trump, in one of the President's final acts in office,[12] but two members of the group indicted with Bannon pled guilty, while the third was convicted.[13]

Publications

In 2019, he published the book Stealth War: How China Took Over While America's Elite Slept.[9]

In 2022, he published War Without Rules: China's Playbook for Global Domination.[14]

References
Wikiquote has quotations related to Robert Spalding.
  1. "Spalding, Robert S., III, 1966-". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  2. "Brigadier General Robert S. Spalding III > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil.
  3. "Experts – Robert Spalding – Hudson Institute". www.hudson.org.
  4. "Air Force general behind 5G memo leaves White House". Stars and Stripes.
  5. "General leaves National Security Council after leak of 5G telecom memo: report". Fox News. February 4, 2018.
  6. Hart, Kim (3 February 2018). "5G memo author leaves White House". Axios.
  7. Froeba, Kristine (July 17, 2019). "OPSEC: Why this retired one-star says service members should trash their Chinese Huawei smartphones". Military Times.
  8. "Retired general warns against letting China dominate 5G networks". Los Angeles Times. January 4, 2019.
  9. Kuo, Mercy A. "'Stealth War': How the US Can Counter China's Takeover Attempts". thediplomat.com.
  10. "Leaders Of 'We Build The Wall' Online Fundraising Campaign Charged With Defrauding Hundreds Of Thousands Of Donors". www.justice.gov. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  11. Graham, Bryan Armen (2020-08-20). "World Series hero Curt Schilling served on board of Bannon border wall group". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  12. Collins, Pamela Brown,Paul LeBlanc,Kaitlan (2021-01-20). "Trump pardons Steve Bannon as one of his final acts in office | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2023-02-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. "Second 'We Build The Wall' fraud trial ends in conviction". AP NEWS. 2022-10-28. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  14. "a book review by Francis P. Sempa: War Without Rules: China's Playbook for Global Domination". www.nyjournalofbooks.com. Retrieved 2022-11-13.


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