$14B Taiwan Arms Package Ready for Trump After China Trip
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- Trump administration has a roughly $14 billion US arms package for Taiwan ready for presidential approval, including PAC-3 and NASAMS air-defence missiles — the largest such deal for the island.
- Sources briefed on the discussions say the deal is being held back until after Trump's March 31–April 2 trip to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping, with announcement expected after he returns.
- An additional US$6 billion in "asymmetric" defence capabilities is awaiting approval and could come in linked or subsequent packages, one source told Reuters.
- Trump's arms sales approvals to Taiwan in his second term have already surpassed the total approved by Joe Biden over four years, including an $11 billion package greenlit in December.
- Xi Jinping told Trump in February that arms sales to Taiwan must be handled with "prudence," and one Taiwan source said Beijing had been trying to delay sales and tone down military pressure ahead of the summit.
- A senior US official confirmed more weapons approvals were in the works, telling Reuters: "There is no change to our policy with respect to Taiwan."
Why it matters: For Taiwan, the $14 billion package — the largest ever — would materially bolster air defence, while the fact that Trump-era approvals have already surpassed Biden's four-year total shows sustained commitment. The deferral past the Xi meeting is a concession to Beijing, but the queued $6 billion in additional capabilities shows the floor on Taiwan support is rising.
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