Trump Doubts $14B Taiwan Arms Package After Xi Warning
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- Trump said he was unsure whether to approve a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan—delayed despite bipartisan support—and told Fox News the weapons "wouldn't make a difference," citing a distance of 59 miles from China versus 9,500 miles from the U.S.
- Xi Jinping warned Trump to be careful on Taiwan at their summit; some Trump advisers left believing a Chinese move on the island was growing more likely.
- Taiwan's foreign affairs ministry rejected Trump's framing, stating U.S. arms sales are mandated by the Taiwan Relations Act and serve as a key element of collective deterrence against regional threats.
- Xi has ordered the People's Liberation Army to be ready for a Taiwan takeover as soon as 2027; the PLA encircled the island in 2025 and entered its air defense identification zone more than 3,000 times in 2024.
- Taiwan's military launched live-fire beach defense drills ahead of the Trump-Xi summit, and its whole-of-society defense model has drawn inspiration from Ukraine's wartime resilience.
- Straits Exchange Foundation secretary-general Luo Wen-jia said Taiwan must "strengthen our own self-defense" without provoking Beijing, calling the balancing act "a delicate dance."
Why it matters: Trump's hesitation on the $14 billion arms package, combined with his '59 miles' geographic framing, weakens U.S. credibility on the Taiwan Relations Act at a moment when Xi has ordered PLA readiness for a possible 2027 invasion. Taiwan's leaders are publicly maintaining composure while pressing ahead with beach defense drills.
