Columbia News

Congressman Mark Alford of Missouri’s 4th District has requested a briefing and review from the Treasury Department’s Office of Investment Security regarding reports that shell companies with alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have purchased a trailer park near Whiteman Air Force Base. The base, which houses the B-2 stealth bomber fleet and represents one-third of the U.S. nuclear triad, is located in Alford’s district.

In his letter to Acting Assistant Secretary Fair, Alford expressed concern about “a report from the Daily Caller that Knob Noster Trailer Park, located less than a mile from Whiteman Air Force Base, is potentially owned by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) affiliates. As you know, Whiteman Air Force Base is home to the B-2 Stealth Bomber and plays a vital role in our national defense as one-third of our nuclear triad. Any potentially foreign ownership of land directly next to one-third of our nuclear triad is deeply concerning, and its ownership by a potential CCP intelligence operative is a grave threat to national security.”

Alford cited details from the report that identified ownership of Knob Noster Trailer Park by a Chinese Canadian couple associated with organizations controlled by Miles Guo, who is described as an alleged CCP intelligence affiliate. The couple reportedly acquired the property through multiple shell companies, a practice that former CIA operations officer Bryan Dean Wright called “classic Chinese intel ops.”

“The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) plays a vital role in safeguarding our homeland from malign foreign investments. I have long valued the work of CFIUS and was proud to partner with the Treasury Department in 2023 to ensure Whiteman AFB was added to the list of protected installations. As a member of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, supporting CFIUS and giving you every tool necessary to defend the American people remains one of my top priorities,” Alford wrote.

He requested clarification on whether CFIUS had reviewed this transaction: “Given the seriousness of this situation, I respectfully request a classified briefing from you or your staff addressing the following:

Was this transaction reviewed by CFIUS?

If so, please provide me with what that outcome was and the evidence justifying the approval of this transaction.

If not, please conduct a thorough review now with the greatest speed possible.

“Americans expect and deserve full transparency when it comes to ensuring our national security. I look forward to working with you to ensure that foreign investment in our nation does not jeopardize our nation.”

Mark Alford has represented Missouri’s 4th district in Congress since 2023 after succeeding Vicky Hartzler. He was born in Baytown, Texas in 1963 and lives in Lake Winnebago. Alford graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988 with a BA.