Hold onto your hats, folks—this is a blockbuster move straight out of Missouri! Attorney General Andrew Bailey is making waves by starting the process to seize Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-owned farmland to collect on a massive $24.5 billion federal court judgment against China for its role in the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a bold, in-your-face action that’s got everyone from farmers to political junkies buzzing. Let’s break down this high-stakes drama and what it means for Missouri and beyond.
The story starts with a historic win on March 7, 2025, when U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. ruled that China, its Communist Party, and several agencies owe Missouri $24.5 billion for hoarding protective equipment and covering up COVID’s early spread, costing the state dearly. The lawsuit, kicked off by Bailey’s predecessor, now-Senator Eric Schmitt in 2020, accused China of tanking Missouri’s economy by nationalizing U.S. factories and limiting PPE exports. China didn’t even show up to court, leading to a default ruling, and Bailey’s not letting them off the hook. “Pay up—or we start seizing assets and farmland,” he tweeted, firing up X with posts like, “Missouri’s showing China who’s boss!”
Here’s the juicy part: Bailey’s targeting Chinese-owned farmland, starting in Missouri, where the USDA says Chinese interests held about 44,000 acres—0.1% of the state’s 44 million acres—as of 2023. He’s using the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which allows seizing foreign assets to satisfy court judgments, and plans to work with the Trump administration to hunt down CCP holdings nationwide. X users are eating it up, with polls from accounts like @JDVanceNewsX asking, “Do you support this? YES or NO?” and comments cheering, “Good! Take it all!” But skeptics, like former prosecutor Duncan Levin, aren’t so sure, saying, “Good luck with that,” since it’s unclear if the CCP itself owns these assets versus private Chinese entities.
The stakes are sky-high. Bailey’s move isn’t just about money—it’s a jab at national security. He’s long warned about China’s farmland buys near U.S. military bases, calling it a threat on podcasts like Shawn Ryan’s. If successful, this could shrink China’s U.S. footprint and set a precedent for other states. But China’s not playing nice, calling the lawsuit “absurd” and threatening “reciprocal countermeasures” like sanctions on Missouri firms. Legal experts warn Bailey’s authority to seize assets outside Missouri is shaky, and collecting $24.5 billion could take years—if it happens at all.
This is a political thriller unfolding in real time. Bailey’s gamble could make him a hero to some and a reckless cowboy to others. X is split—some see it as justice, others as a stunt. Will Missouri cash in, or is this just tough talk? One thing’s clear: Bailey’s not backing down, and the fight’s just begun. Grab your popcorn—this one’s going to be wild!
