Trump Says He Will Speak to Taiwan Leader Ahead of Arms Decision
President Trump said he plans to speak directly with Taiwan's leader about a proposed $14 billion arms sale. The move would break with more than four decades of U.S. diplomatic practice. Taiwan's president said he would be happy to take the call.
asiaone.comU.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will speak with Taiwan's leader Lai Ching-te before deciding on a $14 billion arms package that includes anti-drone equipment and air-defense systems. The conversation would end a practice that began in 1979 when Washington shifted formal recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
No U.S. president has held a direct call with a Taiwanese leader since that shift.
Background on the Proposed Call Trump told reporters he speaks to everyone and said the Taiwan situation is in hand. He also described his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as productive and said he would make a determination on the arms sale in the near term.
Taiwan's foreign ministry issued a statement Thursday saying Lai Ching-te would be happy to discuss maintaining the stable status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The ministry linked the possible call to China's ongoing military buildup near the island.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday that Beijing firmly opposes official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan as well as U.S. arms sales to the island. The spokesperson urged Washington to stop sending wrong signals to separatist forces in Taiwan.
China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of force. The United States is required by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with defensive arms while maintaining diplomatic relations with Beijing. >"I'll speak to him.
I speak to everybody. " — President Donald Trump, May 20, 2026 (BBC News) Beijing is currently holding up a proposed visit by a senior Pentagon policy official until Trump decides how to proceed with the arms deal, according to a Financial Times report.
Trump said last week aboard Air Force One that he discussed the arms sales in detail with Xi Jinping.
December the United States approved an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan. Taiwan has increased its defense spending under Lai Ching-te to counter growing military pressure from China. Trump said he made no commitment either way during his recent Beijing summit and noted that Xi feels very strongly about Taiwan.
He added that he would not consult Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan, a commitment Washington made in 1982.
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