Former U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI), who was the inaugural chair of the House Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, announced in March that he not would finish his fourth term and would not run for a fifth term in Congress. He resigned on April 20, after voting in favor of aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
In May, Gallagher joined the Hudson Institute, the conservative think tank where former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley also recently became a distinguished fellow.
The day after Taiwan inaugurated a new president, President Lai Ching-te, the Chinese foreign ministry announced sanctions against Gallagher. The former military intelligence officer and retired Marine Corps captain has been banned from entering China — the CCP accused the American of having “interfered in China’s internal affairs.”
A warm welcome to the @committeeonccp‘s first delegation to Taiwan, led by Chair @RepGallagher, along with @CongressmanRaja, @JohnMoolenaar, @RepMoulton, & @RepDustyJohnson. With such staunch support, I look forward to #Taiwan & the #US working together on a wide range of issues. pic.twitter.com/3Enu5EEZdk
— 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) February 22, 2024
Note: In February, Gallagher led a five-person bipartisan congressional delegation to visit Taiwan, where he met with both then-President Tsai Ing-wen and her successor, Lai. The other congress members included Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL); John Moolenaar (R-MI); Dusty Johnson (R-SD); and Seth Moulton (D-MA).
At a press conference, Gallagher said during the unannounced visit: “The United States, Democrats and Republicans, stands with Taiwan, for your freedom and for ours.” He added: “For as Taiwan goes, so goes the world.””
It is a badge of honor to be sanctioned by the #CCP.
Thank you @RepGallagher for standing with our allies in Taipei and working to enhance peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. https://t.co/zYUqaDHpw2 pic.twitter.com/zoQMnxSHSL
— John Walters (@john_walters_) May 21, 2024
Gallagher responded to the travel ban issued against him, saying “the irony of this is that for over a year the CCP and its American apologists have criticized me for traveling to Taiwan instead of China. Now I’m not allowed to travel to China. I shall instead look forward to returning to Taiwan in the near future to discuss how we can enhance peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
Hudson Institute president and CEO John Walters (former “drug czar” — director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and a cabinet member during the Bush administration) is proud of Gallagher’s ban. He wrote: “It is a badge of honor to be sanctioned by the CCP.”