Trump weighs delaying $14 billion Taiwan arms sale after Xi talks

Trump’s willingness to hold up a $14 billion Taiwan arms package has put a fresh strain on the U.S. strategy of deterrence by ambiguity, giving Beijing a new opening to test how far Washington’s promises can be pushed. The sale, which would be the largest ever for Taiwan, includes advanced interceptor missiles and other air-defense systems.

The package was approved by Congress in January 2026, but it still cannot move forward until the administration formally notifies lawmakers under the Arms Export Control Act. After his two-day state visit to China and summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14 and 15, Trump said he was still weighing the sale, saying the two leaders “talked a lot about Taiwan.” He also described the weapons package as a “very good negotiating chip” and said he would make a decision “over the next fairly short period.”

That ambiguity matters because it reaches well beyond a single arms transaction. The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 requires the United States to make defense articles and services available to help Taiwan maintain enough self-defense capability, while the 1982 Six Assurances included a pledge not to consult Beijing on arms sales to the island. Consulting China on the sale, as POLITICO noted, would cut against that longstanding U.S. commitment. Trump’s refusal to say whether the United States would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack only sharpened the uncertainty. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. policy toward Taiwan remained “unchanged” after the summit.

The reaction in Washington was immediate. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said it would be interesting to see “what he gives away on Taiwan.” A bipartisan group of senators, including Chris Coons, Chris Murphy, Tim Kaine, Jeff Merkley, Cory Booker, Brian Schatz, Chris Van Hollen, Tammy Duckworth and Jacky Rosen, said they were “deeply disturbed” by Trump’s handling of Taiwan and urged the administration to formally notify the $14 billion sale. Rep. Michael McCaul said the United States must “arm Taiwan so they can defend themselves for deterrence against Chairman Xi,” while Rep. Gregory Meeks warned that delaying the package could weaken deterrence and said Xi had leverage over Trump, but not over Congress.

Taipei moved quickly to defend the sale. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said arms sales are a clear security commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act and thanked Trump for continued U.S. support since his first term. That support already included a record $11 billion weapons package authorized in December 2025, a deal that still has not advanced. Chinese officials, meanwhile, called Taiwan the “most important” issue in U.S.-China relations during the summit, and Xi warned that mishandling the island could lead to clashes, conflict and broader damage to the bilateral relationship. Even a delay, not just a cancellation, can change Beijing’s risk calculus.