U.S. Lawmaker Tells Taiwan: Pass Drone Bill, 'Time Is Short'
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- Young Kim told President Lai Ching-te on July 31, 2026 that "time is short" for passing a comprehensive drone bill, citing the Ukraine and Iran wars as proof Taiwan must "buy and build drones at a huge scale."
- President Lai is seeking up to NT$210 billion ($6.5 billion) over more than five years for Taiwan-made attack, coastal surveillance, and surface drones.
- The Kuomintang (KMT) has counter-proposed NT$240 billion over six years but wants annual spending capped at NT$40 billion and folded into the regular budget.
- In May, the KMT and Taiwan People's Party passed a $25 billion special defense budget after stripping out roughly $15 billion the DPP had earmarked for domestic drone procurement, cutting the original ask by a third.
- Lai's government has committed to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.
- Taiwan targets a monthly drone production capacity of 100,000 by 2030, up from its previous goal of 15,000 by 2028.
Why it matters: The roughly $15 billion the opposition cut from Taiwan's defense bill was specifically for domestic drone procurement — the exact capability Kim flagged as most urgent. By publicly telling Taipei "deterrence takes two to tango," Kim turned a domestic budget fight into a diplomatic signal: every delayed drone purchase now carries a direct cost in U.S. willingness to underwrite Taiwan's asymmetric defense against Beijing.
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