Unexpected impact of Iran war on U.S. defense against China threat downplayed by senior Army leader

General Ronald Clark says China's PLA continues to prepare despite Trump-Xi diplomacy, as U.S. Army expands deterrence across the Indo-Pacific.

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The top military commander in the Pacific says troops are seizing an unexpected opportunity to modernize, amid growing concerns that a war with Iran is taking vital US defenses away from China's doorstep.

Gen. Ronald Clark, commander of the U.S. military in the Pacific, assessed that the diversion of the Patriot missile defense system to the Iran war has not increased the risk to forces in the Indo-Pacific, despite concerns about the deployment affecting U.S. readiness for a potential conflict with China.

Patriot systems have been deployed from the Indian and Pacific Oceans to support operations in the Middle East, while US forces in South Korea have deployed High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors to the region.

U.S. Army Gen. Gen. Ronald Clark, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, speaks to NSS guests during a national security seminar at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, June 15, 2026. (Elizabeth Bukowski/US Army War College)

An October Congressional Research Service report estimated that US forces had expended approximately 1,700 Patriots and 200 THAAD interceptors during the conflict, while the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the military had used between one-half and two-thirds of the specific interceptor inventory. The Pentagon's inspector general has cited strategic inventory shortages and production bottlenecks caused by the conflict, raising questions about how quickly the United States can complete its defenses in the event of another major confrontation.

Clark said the deployment gives Patriot crews first-hand experience in defending against enemy attacks, while equipment upgrades are expanding what individual batteries can do.

An upgraded Patriot battery can now provide coverage that previously required an entire battalion, he said, though he did not specify whether he was referring to geographic coverage or the number of threats the system can engage.

Asked if the recent diplomatic development between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping has changed his assessment of the Chinese threat, Clarke said he believes the People's Liberation Army (PLA) continues to strengthen.

"Well, I believe they're continuing to prepare," Clark said.

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The assessment comes weeks after Trump welcomed Xi to Washington for a high-profile state visit that led to trade deals and new pledges to improve military ties. But diplomatic progress has not resolved tensions over Taiwan and China's growing military influence across the Indo-Pacific, where U.S. commanders continue to prepare for potential conflict.

Clark did not say whether China's military preparations had accelerated or whether diplomatic moves had changed Beijing's intentions. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of the US military to remain prepared for a possible conflict while working to prevent it.

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"I hope my legacy in this job is that when we step down from command of USARPAC, our command's deterrence position is such that we have not only prevented war, but will prevent future war," Clark said.

Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, recently discussed reviving disaster management exchanges between the US military and China's PLA during talks with his Chinese counterpart, Clark said.

The exchanges provide an opportunity for U.S. and Chinese military personnel to work together in disaster response, restoring a channel of direct interaction that Clark said he hopes will be revived.

"If you can communicate with your enemies, you can share information with them so they don't want to go to war," Clarke said.

A Philippine Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel, DA-BFAR MMOV 3015, navigates close to another vessel during a maritime encounter (China Coast Guard)

He said the U.S. military in the Pacific would be responsible for coordinating exchanges with its Chinese counterparts if efforts continue. He did not give a date or say whether Beijing had officially agreed to resume the program.

The U.S. and Chinese militaries have held periodic disaster management exchanges in the past, including a 2017 event hosted by the military at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

"The cost of going to war is so high that our job is to, one, be fully prepared for that eventuality, but two, prevent it from happening," Clark said.

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Meanwhile, the military is expanding its capabilities across the Indo-Pacific, placing additional troops and equipment closer to potential flashpoints as part of its effort to deter Chinese aggression.

Clark said the military now has more resources than ever before in the region, including additional divisions, an IRGC headquarters and specialized formations designed to conduct long-range strikes and operations in multiple areas.

"The military is better resourced in the Pacific right now than I've ever seen," he said.

He pointed to the military's growing ability to support naval and air operations, including land-based weapons capable of attacking targets at sea.

Clark said that recent military war games have demonstrated the value of these capabilities, including a naval scenario where the addition of military forces changed an unfavorable outcome.

"It's really tied to our existing capabilities," Clark said, referring to the military's ability to identify targets, conduct strikes, protect military assets and sustain operations from the ground.

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