Trump’s Taiwan Policy Amid China Tensions

President Donald Trump has continued to approve and publicize arms deliveries and security cooperation with Taiwan despite speculation that his administration might soften on the issue to appease China. Recent actions include the placement of U.S. defense personnel in Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, the delivery of F-16 fighter jets, and the pending approval of a multibillion-dollar arms package.

Newsweek

Trump’s 2019 approval of an $8 billion order for 66 F-16s has moved forward, with two jets arriving in early October and the full delivery slated for the next two years. The same period saw reports of 128 Harpoon anti-ship missiles and 500 Stinger air-defense missiles scheduled for later this year. A $14.77 million multiyear program, overseen by Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary of defense for policy, institutionalizes the deployment of U.S. military instructors to Taiwan—a practice described as “hundreds of instructors” each year.

Newsweek

• $8 billion F-16 order (66 aircraft) approved in 2019.

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• $14.77 million program funding for U.S. personnel placement.

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• $29.72 billion overall arms backlog for Taiwan, per the Taiwan Security Monitor tracker.

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• Pending $14 billion arms sale (including HIMARS launchers and ATACMS missiles) awaiting Trump’s signature.

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• Additional deliveries: 128 Harpoon missiles, 500 Stinger missiles.

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Marco Rubio (Secretary of State) attributed delays in Taiwan’s arms deliveries to U.S. industrial capacity and the ongoing war in Iran. David Perdue, U.S. Chinese state media portrayed Trump’s limited discussion of Taiwan at the recent Trump-Xi summit as a sign of realism, while U.S. officials emphasized continued support for Taiwan’s defense capabilities.

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• “We didn’t spend a lot of time talking about Taiwan. He understands very much how I feel,” — Donald Trump, circulating that president

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