” A president willing to kill 1.3 b people over the deaths of 5,000 in a conventional attack and risk the deaths of over 100m Americans? “
It would not start that way.
Small tactical nukes against Chinese forces outside the mainland first, escalating to direct strikes against their military facilities on the mainland if they retaliate.
With thousands of warheads in reserve.
Pantex Plant could crank out 10 B61s a week with I-40 being VERY busy between Kirkland AFB nuke storage and Pantex.
We have a couple of thousand warheads in reserve (and thankfully Trump upgraded the SRAM and TLAM W69 and W84 warheads recycling.
There Island carriers must be neutralized...and the ChiComs primary act will be to destroy the carriers and regional facilities to gain air superiority. It will be their PRIMARY attack mode with EWC and cyber.