Jill Goldenziel

08/01/2025

🚨 Chinese “research” ships are everywhere—from Alaska to Australia. But are they really doing science?

This week, the U.S. Coast Guard chased off a Chinese vessel operating near Alaska. The Philippines is tracking three more in its waters. China claims these ships are conducting peaceful marine research.

But here’s the catch:

📡 Many are collecting strategic data.
⚓ Most are tied to the Chinese military.
🛰 Some carry sonar, drones, and manned submersibles.

And the pattern is global—from India’s backyard to the Yellow Sea.

In my latest Forbes column, I break down how China’s research fleet is blurring the line between science and strategy—turning oceanographic surveys into legal warfare.

🌊 If we don’t assert our maritime rights, we risk losing them.

🔗 https://www.forbes.com/sites/jillgoldenziel/2025/08/01/chinas-research-masks-a-military-agenda-from-alaska-to-manila/

07/23/2025

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07/15/2025

🚫 Your firewall won’t stop a legal attack.
China is using laws as weapons—and most leaders don’t even see it coming.

Grateful to LTCOL Richard J. Connaroe and the Indo-Pacific Defense Forum for highlighting my work in the newly published article Countering China’s Lawfare.

The piece explores how the PRC is weaponizing international law, domestic legislation, and global institutions to achieve strategic goals—without firing a single shot. I’m honored to be cited for my research and speaking on how lawfare shapes today’s conflicts and tomorrow’s power structures.

Lawfare isn’t theory. It’s a real threat to governments, businesses, and civil society—and it’s already here.

📩 Want to understand how lawfare could impact your mission or your market? DM me.

Read the article here! https://ipdefenseforum.com/2025/07/countering-chinas-lawfare/

06/01/2025

🌮 Trump’s tariffs just got smacked down—then brought back to life.

What’s really going on? Let’s break it down.👇

💥 Two federal courts ruled Trump overreached by using emergency powers (IEEPA) to slap on global tariffs.

📈 Markets cheered.
📉 Then not so much.
🧑‍⚖️ Why? Another court revived the tariffs in less than 24 hours.

But here’s the twist...

🛑 Courts said IEEPA ≠ a free pass for economic policy.
📜 They did point to legal workarounds—
and Trump’s team had already started using them.

💡 So this loss might actually be a win:
✔️ Tariffs survive under other laws
✔️ They’ll be more targeted
✔️ Market disruption? Likely lower
✔️ Rule of law? Strengthened

👀 TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out)? Not so much.

📖 I explain it all in my latest column.

🔗 Link in bio or head to
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jillgoldenziel/2025/05/31/court-rulings-mean-tariffs-stay-on-the-menu-and-taco-is-off/

05/27/2025

I just spoke in Einstein’s classroom. But that wasn’t the extraordinary part.

It was going back to the place that made me who I am as the person I always wanted to be.

The secret? Mindset, curiosity, and grit -- every single day. And wanting it badly enough to keep showing up on the days I didn't want to.

My high school guidance counselor told me, “No one gets into Princeton.”
I said, “Watch me.”
I worked my tail off to distinguish myself.
And I did.
No private school. No legacy. No athletics. (And no, I don’t think it was DEI).

The admissions dean humbled us on Week 1 by telling the freshmen that for every one of us, there were 11 qualified applicants he could have easily let in.

From then on, the writing was literally on the wall behind me in Einstein’s classroom: Everything is a miracle. And that became my mindset.

I never took it for granted. I wanted to take advantage of everything Princeton had to offer.

Every day at Princeton still feels like a miracle to me—because I realized acutely how lucky I was to be there. I may have earned it—but it was still a gift. And I became determined to pay it forward by living its motto: “Princeton in the nation’s service and the service of humanity.”

Every 5 years, I’ve had the privilege of speaking at Reunions—a gathering of 25,000 people in a celebration of learning, community, and service.

Reunions has a wonderful tradition of not giving anyone an official title on the program.
No Doctors. No Generals. No Congressmen. Just the names we used as freshmen.

So I called heroes by their first names.
Others told me I was one.

Some people look at the Ivy League and see only wealth and privilege. And I’m not going to lie—you can find that there.

But to me it stands for hard-earned miracles, relationships that sustain me, and a legacy of service.

It is my honor to keep living Princeton’s legacy by serving and inspiring others.

05/26/2025

You cannot know the meaning your memories will make someday.

When I was a kid my grandparents took me to Arlington for the moving experience of witnessing the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. My grandfather, a WWII Vet, taught me a lot about patriotism and honor.

Flash forward 35-40 years and I brought my kids, their namesakes, to visit 4 people I never had the chance to know—and to tell their stories.

🇺🇸Doug Zembiec, whom I clearly would have known had he lived, since he seemed to know half of the Marines I do. His legend has crossed my feed 4 times this week.

🇺🇸Aaron Torian, whose story a friend told me out of the blue after I returned from a Marine operational exercise. It wasn’t clear what triggered the memory, but I think it had something to do with commitment to Marines and Mission. And the fact that Aaron could light up any room. Jewish tradition is to leave rocks at gravestones, not flowers, because flowers die and rocks are permanent. We left 4 with Aaron.

🇺🇸Megan McClung, a legend in her community, 1st female USNA grad to die in Iraq. Her famed tagline, “Be Bold, Be Brief, Be Gone” repeatedly brings me to tears.

🇺🇸Nicole Gee, whose grave was hard to photograph due to a young woman sprawled on it. Her story hit me hard because she was an honor student who could have done anything, but died at 23 doing what I love: loving her job helping the Afghan refugees who helped my friends—the mission I shared with them long before I met them.

Say their names often and they will never be forgotten. They will be remembered by people who never knew them but wish they did.

Thinking of my veteran friends and students today.

04/30/2025

The best moments on stage don’t come from the script.
They come when someone smart asks a tough question — and the stakes are real.

Q&A is my favorite part of any speaking engagement.
Most speakers dread it. I love the challenge.

No notes. No fluff. Just straight answers grounded in real-world experience.
And real connection -- based on what you really want to know.

In this clip, I’m testifying before Congress, answering a sharp question from Rep. Jake Auchincloss about China’s Coast Guard Law--a prime example of China's lawfare. He read one of my columns. He asked how the U.S. should respond to the threat. I gave him the truth.

Because when I speak, I don’t just inform — I engage. I connect. I make the complex geopolitical landscape real and actionable for my audience.

And if I can do it for Congress--I can do it for you.

If you want more than a keynote — if you want real answers from someone who’s briefed world leaders, taught leadership to future generals, and wrote the playbook on legal warfare— I’m ready.

🎤 Bring me in for your next event, and let’s make it a conversation that matters.
👉 DM me. Q2 slots are almost full.

04/20/2025

In an era where law faces unprecedented challenges—the 2025 ASIL Annual Meeting was a beacon of insight and purpose.

This year’s theme, “Traditions and Transitions in International Law,” resonated deeply as panels tackled the evolving landscape of conflict and technology.

What truly set this gathering apart was the collective commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law. Engaging with fellow lawyers who not only understand the law but also its call to action was both invigorating and inspiring.

As a proud member of ASIL’s Executive Council (Board), I am honored to contribute to an organization that has been at the forefront of international legal discourse for over a century. The dedication and expertise displayed at this meeting reaffirm our mission to uphold and advance the rule of law in a rapidly changing world.

Photo: me speaking at the 2023 ASIL Annual Meeting. I was occupied every moment and too busy to even get a photo this year!

04/17/2025

Mission accepted.
And it is a no-fail mission.

Since 1906, the American Society of International Law has had the mission to “foster the study of international law and to promote the establishment and maintenance of international relations on the basis of law and justice.”

It is a non-partisan society that counts among its founders our former Secretary of State and Secretary of War Elihu Root—also a founder of what is now the National War College, and then-Secretary of War William Howard Taft.

Multiple former Secretaries of State have served as President of the Society. It boasts 4,000 members all over the world.

And I’m proud to be a member of its governing board—the Executive Council.

Great to participate in an energetic Executive Council meeting.

And thank you to WilmerHale for hosting and for your continued commitment to vigorously upholding the rule of law.

Looking for a mission-driven board member? DM me.

04/16/2025

I took 3 days off—and returned to 4 new speaking invitations. Here’s why my clients keep coming back.

They know that yesterday’s strategy won’t win tomorrow’s war. And that good leaders keep upping their game.

I connect with audiences in a powerful way that inspires them to lead better—and shows them how.

When I speak, I don’t just deliver a flash of insight that my audiences forget as soon as the dazzle wears off. (Did you remember what your last corporate speaker said a week later?)

I inspire you to action. Whether I’m talking to corporate execs, military leaders, or global changemakers, my goal is always to inspire people to lead better.

In a time of uncertainty and change, ethical leadership is more critical than ever. Leadership is not about power. It’s about People. Vision. Resilience. And the courage to grow and build the traits that make good leaders great.

Every talk and workshop I give is grounded in real-world evidence, strategy, and storytelling. I tailor every session to the people in the room—and I keep the conversation going long after the event itself and measure its impact.

I’ve got a few Q2 2024 speaking slots left. If you and your team are ready to step up, lead boldly, and thrive in today’s complex world—DM me.

04/10/2025

Russia isn’t just fighting on the battlefield—it’s fighting in courtrooms, regulatory systems, and the media.
And your business may already be in the crosshairs.

This week I had the honor of speaking at NATO’s Legal Operations Conference at Boston College about Russian lawfare and hybrid warfare.

Russia is undermining the international order—exploiting legal ambiguity, spreading disinformation, and cloaking aggressive actions in a veneer of legitimacy. This isn’t just a military concern. It’s a threat to companies operating in or near contested regions, relying on international law, or exposed to geopolitical risk.

The private sector has a critical role to play in defending the rule of law.
Now is the time to understand the threats—and prepare for them.

If you’re ready to talk strategy, DM me.

04/09/2025

“According to Jill Goldenziel, a professor at the National Defense University’s College of Information and Cyberspace, maintaining ambiguity about its capabilities could be an effective tactic for Beijing in its information warfare efforts.”

Thanks to the Sustainability Times for including my thoughts!

IN A NUTSHELL 🔍 China’s undersea cable-cutting technology has raised global concerns about its strategic implications and potential threats to communication networks. 🛳️ Incidents involving ships allegedly cutting cables near Taiwan have intensified fears of increasing hostility from Beiji...