Well, well, well—look who’s finally had enough. Missouri just put on its big-boy boots and told the Chinese Communist Party: you broke it, you bought it. In a move that’s equal parts bold, overdue, and probably making a few diplomats sweat into their jasmine tea, Missouri is moving to seize Chinese-owned farmland and assets to start chipping away at a whopping $24 billion civil judgment against Beijing. And no, this isn’t a movie plot—it’s real life.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey isn’t just talking tough—he’s walking it straight into courtrooms. Following a stunning legal victory where U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. found that China lied, covered up, and hoarded PPE like a global doomsday prepper while the rest of the world scrambled to deal with COVID-19, Missouri is ready to collect. The ruling found the CCP responsible for massive economic damage to the state due to their lies and manipulation during the early stages of the pandemic. Missouri’s damages, including lost tax revenue, were laid at the feet of the regime that still insists wet markets were just doing “business as usual.” Right.
‘PAY UP’: A federal judge rules in favor of Missouri in a $24 billion lawsuit against China for COVID-19. The state’s Republican attorney general says, “We intend to collect every penny by seizing Chinese-owned assets, including farmland in Missouri.” https://t.co/9ibqwkGs1l pic.twitter.com/Afb9I1UHK3
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 8, 2025
Now let’s be clear: China didn’t show up to court. They didn’t defend themselves. They didn’t even bother to pretend to take it seriously. But under American law, when you don’t show up, you lose. Default judgment. And when that judgment is $24 billion, you better believe that farmland with a Chinese deed is about to get a very patriotic makeover.
Of course, Beijing’s official response was to roll its eyes and say “we don’t accept the ruling.” Shocker. That’s pretty much their standard line whenever international law or basic decency doesn’t go their way. But this time, it’s not just about lawsuits—it’s about land. And Missouri’s got its eyes on the prize. Specifically, acres and acres of prime, American farmland that’s been snapped up by Chinese interests over the last decade. Why China has been buying up farmland near U.S. military bases is still anyone’s guess—unless, of course, you’re willing to entertain the idea that it’s not just about corn.
See, China isn’t even the biggest foreign owner of U.S. agricultural land. That title goes to our polite neighbors up north in Canada. But unlike Canadian investments, which tend to be through legitimate agribusiness channels, Chinese purchases raise red flags because of where they’re buying—like, say, 300 acres near Grand Forks Air Force Base, home to some fairly serious U.S. military hardware. That’s not an investment strategy, that’s a surveillance strategy.
And now that Missouri has a legal ruling in hand, it’s time to put some muscle behind it. While it’s unclear how much land will be seized or exactly how it will be liquidated to help pay the tab, the point is that someone is finally holding the CCP accountable. And it’s not coming from Washington, where career diplomats are still stuck in “dialogue” mode. It’s coming from a red state with a spine.
This also sends a not-so-subtle message to other states: it can be done. You can push back against foreign ownership of strategic assets. You can draw a line in the dirt—and if that dirt happens to be on highly productive American farmland, even better.
THIS IS FANTASTIC. Missouri @AGAndrewBailey explains why he’s suing China for $25B in COVID damages and seizing Chinese assets if they don’t pay up:
“We can execute that judgement by seizing assets that the Chinese government owns not only in the state of Missouri, but using any… pic.twitter.com/unwep1mGKT
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) January 27, 2025
Of course, the Biden administration will probably find some way to drag its feet, form a blue-ribbon panel, or blame “xenophobia,” but let’s not pretend the rest of America isn’t watching. Missouri just showed what it looks like when a state defends its people, its land, and its economic sovereignty.
And honestly? It’s about time someone did.
