We knew that the recently announced sale by the United States of some $11 billion in weapons to the Republic of China was not yet certain to be completed, having not yet been approved by the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. But now it seems that completing this and further sales to the ROC—or, more likely, only further sales—is in doubt because of PRC-provoked hesitation on the U.S. side.
President Donald Trump recently told reporters that his administration will “make a determination pretty soon” about what Bloomberg describes as “future defense support for the self-governing island.” This, after Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, dictator of the People’s Republic of China, had discussed the matter of arms to Taipei during a recent phone call (Bloomberg, February 17, 2026).
President Donald Trump said that he’s discussing future weapons sales to Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping and teased that he would soon make a decision about future defense support for the self-governing island.
“I’m talking to him about it. We had a good conversation, and we’ll make a determination pretty soon,” Trump told reporters Monday evening aboard Air Force One.
The US’s military support for Taiwan has become one of the key points of contention between Washington and Beijing before the countries’ leaders are slated to meet in April in China.
Either Trump or the reporting is vague about exactly what his administration is making a determination about.
Earlier in the month, Bloomberg had reported that the U.S. was preparing further arms sales to the ROC, “which have unsettled Chinese officials to the point that President Donald Trump’s planned visit to China in April could be in jeopardy, according to the Financial Times.” The further sales “would be in addition to an $11 billion deal announced in December….”
And, unfortunately, the Trump administration has gotten into the habit of acceding to Chinese demands on matters that should never be a part of any negotiations between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has just signed a trade deal with Taipei that both sides seem pretty happy with.
