During the Obama regime Russia was re-established as The Enemy. Trump's intent to normalize relations with Russia, that is, to erase Russia's enemy status, brought fire and brimstone down on his head from the military/security complex.  The CIA Director actually denounced the elected American president as a traitor.  The defeated Democrats, seeing the formidable military/security complex aligned against Trump, jumped in to recover their political loss by concocting "Russiagate."  Trump survived, but lost three years of his first term to a hoax created to drive him from office.

In Trump's fourth year, the enemy has been relocated.  Now it is China.  Several developments contributed to changing the enemy to China.  One was China's growing willingness to stand up to Washington's provocations and to speak back.  One was Washington's need for someone to blame for America's large trade deficit.  Another was the realization of China's manufacturing and industrial prowess and the leadership China is taking in technology as exemplified by Huawei's lead in 5G.  Disturbed US communications technology companies, neoconservative hegemonic ambitions, and prospects for more military spending to contain China were given lobbying power by Trump's verbal fight with China.  These conflicts were given more potential by the rise of Covid-19 blamed on China.