Trump's Taiwan Pivot Tests a Top China Hawk's Influence
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.