Ashli Babbitt Funeral Honors Debate Shows America’s Vulnerability to Foreign Exploitation
The debate over whether Ashli Babbitt, the woman fatally shot while storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, deserves full military funeral honors has ignited another bitter clash in Washington. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona has vowed to block the Pentagon from conferring the honor, calling Babbitt a “traitor” who tried to overthrow democracy. While this dispute is rooted in America’s internal wounds from January 6, it also reveals a larger danger: the way America’s polarization can be weaponized by hostile foreign powers—chief among them, China.
Babbitt served in the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard before leaving with an honorable discharge. Conservative groups, led by Judicial Watch, have demanded that her family receive full military honors, framing the Pentagon’s initial denial as part of a “grave national injustice” supposedly remedied by President Trump’s mass clemency for January 6 defendants.
Senator Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, has drawn a sharp line. He argues that bestowing such honors would dishonor those who sacrificed their lives defending the Constitution. In his words, military honors are “for those who defend the Constitution, not traitors.”
The Pentagon originally sided with Gallego’s view, stating that honoring someone who illegally entered the Capitol would “bring discredit on the Air Force.” Yet pressure from activist groups and political allies of Babbitt’s family has kept the issue alive.
On the surface, this appears to be a domestic dispute over symbolism and respect. But the fight over Babbitt’s legacy is part of a larger struggle over how Americans interpret January 6: as a tragic day of insurrection, or as an act of protest gone too far. That battle over meaning has profound consequences for national unity.
Here is where the threat from China enters the picture. Beijing thrives on amplifying America’s domestic divisions. Chinese state media eagerly cover stories of discord in Washington—from debates about January 6 to disputes over free speech, policing, and elections—because they project an image of a fractured America incapable of governing itself.
China has long used information warfare to manipulate global opinion. By exploiting controversies like the Babbitt funeral honors debate, Beijing can amplify narratives of American hypocrisy and instability. In state outlets such as Global Times, Chinese commentators frequently highlight U.S. political infighting as evidence that democracy is failing, while portraying China’s authoritarian system as stable and unified.
In this sense, every bitter dispute in Washington becomes ammunition for the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda machine. The more Americans fight among themselves, the easier it becomes for Beijing to convince other nations that the U.S. is an unreliable partner and an unstable superpower.
It is not just about propaganda abroad. China also monitors U.S. domestic debates to refine influence campaigns at home. By studying how Americans respond to polarizing issues—whether it be race, elections, or military honors—Chinese strategists learn how to craft disinformation campaigns that resonate with real social divisions.
In the digital age, these narratives can be amplified on social media through bot networks and proxy accounts. A debate over one woman’s funeral rights may seem small, but it fits into a much larger playbook: weaken trust in American institutions, delegitimize democratic processes, and deepen domestic conflict.
The Ashli Babbitt case is emotionally charged and politically divisive. But Americans must recognize that beyond the domestic arguments, such controversies are closely watched—and exploited—by foreign adversaries. China does not need to invent new propaganda; it simply needs to magnify our own disputes.
That is why vigilance is necessary. Regardless of one’s view on Babbitt, the larger issue is how to prevent domestic division from becoming a tool of Chinese influence. The United States cannot allow its internal debates to erode its global standing or weaken the resilience of its democracy.
Senator Gallego’s legislation may succeed or fail, but the deeper point is this: America’s enemies are always looking for cracks to widen. Beijing, in particular, sees opportunity in every sign of American disunity.
Whether it is through debates about January 6, disputes over military honors, or cultural clashes in sports and entertainment, China seizes on division to advance its own narrative of authoritarian superiority. Americans should remember that the fight for unity at home is also a fight to defend against manipulation abroad.
The Ashli Babbitt funeral honors debate is not just about one individual’s legacy—it is a reminder that China’s greatest weapon is not its missiles, but America’s own polarization.
