All articles tagged with #arms sales
Trump’s Taiwan policy shifts away from Ivan Kanapathy’s traditionally hawkish stance, delaying arms sales and signaling more ambiguous U.S. commitments; Kanapathy briefs the president but his influence appears limited as Trump pursues a personalized China approach with Xi, a dynamic that unsettles regional allies even as some deterrence steps and arms sales move forward behind the scenes.
The Trump administration has proposed a $24.3 billion sale of stealth F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia (48 planes with 49 engines), a deal still needing congressional approval and years from delivery. While Washington argues it would bolster a key ally and deterrence without upsetting Israel’s edge, critics warn it could shift the regional balance and deepen Saudi-Chinese ties, drawing Israeli concern and domestic scrutiny amid broader Middle East tensions.
A Democrat has paused Trump’s plan to sell heavy bombs to Israel, delaying the arms deal as the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire holds but violence persists and Palestinian casualties mount.
Democrat Gregory Meeks has voiced opposition to a planned U.S. sale of General Dynamics-made 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, highlighting humanitarian concerns. While lawmakers can place informal holds on arms deals, a president can proceed in an emergency, and blocking the sale would require a veto-proof two-thirds majority in both chambers. The sale sits within the Foreign Military Financing program, reflecting enduring but fraying bipartisan support for Israel as debates continue over Gaza devastation and past pause-and-reverse shipments.
Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby has pressed for a Beijing invitation to discuss defense priorities, but China has not invited him, citing anger over the U.S. 11-billion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan and broader tensions, underscoring the fragility of high-level U.S.-China defense exchanges while Colby seeks a platform to shape strategy.
At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged ‘drama-free’, transactional U.S.-China ties and avoided mentioning Taiwan, signaling a notable shift from prior, more forceful rhetoric. He praised allies’ defense spending and suggested fast-tracking arms sales to major spenders, while sidelining Taiwan and the South China Sea. The speech reflects a broader U.S. recalibration of China policy amid a paused arms sale to Taiwan and a shift in strategic framing away from China as the top threat in some defense benchmarks.
During a state visit, Japan and the Philippines pressed to deepen defense ties and explore arms sales, signaling Tokyo’s aim to deter China and bolster Manila’s security posture in the Indo-Pacific.
Washington has paused arms sales to Taiwan to ensure it has enough munitions for its Iran operations, with a $14 billion package awaiting presidential sign-off and future approvals to be decided by senior administration officials. Taiwan says it has heard nothing about adjustments to the deal, while Beijing opposes arms transfers as US-China tensions rise after Trump–Xi talks, and Trump has described the packages as a potential negotiating chip.
US President Donald Trump said he would speak with Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te about a possible arms sale, a marked break from diplomatic protocol that could affect US‑China‑Taiwan dynamics as Taipei ramps up its defence. Washington is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act to provide defensive weapons, while Beijing protests official exchanges with Taiwan.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, marking his second anniversary in office, said he would tell Donald Trump that Taipei hopes to continue buying arms from the United States, arguing U.S. arms sales are essential to peace and deterrence in the region.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te urged the Trump administration to continue arms sales to Taiwan to bolster regional peace as Beijing increases its military pressure; Lai credited U.S. arms and security cooperation as essential, even as Trump said he may delay a $14 billion sale as a negotiating chip after a Xi Jinping summit. U.S. officials stressed policy hasn’t changed, while Beijing warns against Taiwan independence, underscoring ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and wider U.S.-China relationship.
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te underscored expanded U.S. arms purchases and stronger security ties in response to Trump’s remarks, signaling Taipei’s push for greater defense support from Washington.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said there is 'no change' in U.S. policy toward Taiwan and attempted to walk back President Trump's remarks about delaying a $14 billion arms sale, noting the timing and details would come from the president. Trump had suggested he hasn’t approved the sale and could use it as a bargaining chip with China, comments that could raise questions about adherence to the Six Assurances and the Taiwan Relations Act. Lawmakers including House Speaker Mike Johnson stressed support for Taiwan, while a December arms package had already been approved.
Trump said in a Fox News interview that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are a “very good negotiating chip” with China, a claim that alarms Taipei about becoming a bargaining tool even as Washington maintains its legal duty to help defend Taiwan. China warned of clashes and Xi Jinping urged careful handling, while Taiwan sought to reassure that U.S. policy remains unchanged. The president also floated moving Taiwan’s chip production to the United States, aligning with a broader reshoring push that includes major investments by TSMC in Arizona.
After a three-day summit intended to steady U.S.-China relations, President Trump said he has not decided whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan, noting Xi Jinping raised concerns and reiterated China’s opposition to Taiwan independence. The discussion touches the 1982 Six Assurances, which govern U.S. arms sales to Taipei, and Trump floated the idea of a trilateral nuclear pact with the U.S. and Russia. Any Taiwan arms sale would still need to be sent to Congress, while the talks also touched on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz as key regional issues.