Trump and acting Navy Secretary pause Taiwan arms sales to focus on Iran operations
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Thursday the U.S. is pausing a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan because of the Trump administration's war with Iran.
Objective Facts
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao announced Thursday that the U.S. is pausing a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan because of the Trump administration's war with Iran. During a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing, Cao insisted the U.S. still had "plenty" of missiles and interceptors and said the pause is to ensure munitions for "Epic Fury." Cao's remarks clash with the administration's previously stated rationale, as Donald Trump floated delaying approval as a "negotiating chip" with China just days earlier. Senator Mitch McConnell expressed concern when Cao said the final determination would be made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling the arrangement "really distressing." Taiwan's authorities have seen the reports but currently have no information regarding any U.S. adjustments to the arms sale, according to Taiwanese presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said "China's opposition to the US arms sale to China's Taiwan region is consistent, clear-cut and resolute."
Right-Leaning Perspective
Senator Mitch McConnell, the leading Republican voice, expressed concern when Cao said the final determination would rest with Defense Secretary Hegseth and Secretary of State Rubio, calling this arrangement "really distressing." Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, former House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, argued that "The U.S. must arm Taiwan so they can defend themselves for deterrence against Chairman Xi." The Republican position emphasizes congressional pre-approval of the sale in January and the bipartisan commitment to Taiwan's defense under the Taiwan Relations Act. While some Republicans like McConnell worry about the execution and timing of the pause, core Republican concerns center on maintaining deterrence in the Indo-Pacific amid great power competition with China. Republicans highlight that the "six assurances" from 1982 explicitly state that the U.S. would not consult with China on arms sales to Taiwan and would not revise the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires Washington to provide the island with defensive arms.
Deep Dive
The pause announcement reveals a significant internal administration contradiction. Three days after Defense Secretary Hegseth told the Senate committee on May 12 that munitions availability was a non-issue, Trump said the arms deal could be "a very good negotiating chip" in dealing with China. This timing suggests the munitions explanation may be post-hoc rather than the original driver. Cao's remarks clash with the administration's previously stated rationale for a pause. The deeper issue is whether the Trump administration intends to use the $14 billion sale as leverage in broader U.S.-China negotiations, which would violate the "Six Assurances"—a 44-year-old bipartisan policy principle. Both sides of the political divide recognize the legal force of the Taiwan Relations Act, but disagree on whether the "Six Assurances" are binding policy or merely aspirational guidance. The Six Assurances to Taiwan Act (S.3208 & H.R.3452) aims to codify the Six Assurances into law and would require Congressional review of any actions that would contradict the assurances, including any executive attempt to pause or terminate arms sales to Taiwan or to negotiate with Beijing regarding such sales. This pending legislation signals congressional frustration with executive flexibility on Taiwan policy. Meanwhile, Taiwan officials noted they have not been notified of any pause in the deal, creating a transparency gap between public U.S. military announcements and diplomatic communications with Taipei. The immediate question is whether this pause is temporary (truly munitions-driven) or structural (part of Trump's negotiating strategy with China). The United States has reportedly burned through thousands of missiles since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, using nearly all of the long-range stealth cruise missiles and depleting Tomahawks, Patriot interceptor missiles, and ATACMS ground-based missiles. However, Defense Secretary Hegseth has dismissed concerns of strained stockpiles, accusing press and lawmakers of overstating the issue and saying "the munitions issue has been foolishly and unhelpfully overstated." This leaves open whether the real constraint is physical munitions or political will to approve the sale under Chinese pressure.
Regional Perspective
Taiwan's presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo told reporters Friday that authorities have "seen the reports, but currently there is no information regarding any adjustments the US will make to this arms sale," creating a significant transparency gap between public U.S. military announcements and private diplomatic communications with Taipei. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, marking his two years in office, said if given the chance, he would tell Trump to continue U.S. arms purchases, which Lai called essential for peace. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun responded swiftly, saying "China's firm opposition to US arms sales to China's Taiwan region is consistent, clear and unwavering." Xi Jinping issued a strong warning at the meeting with Trump, telling him that the "Taiwan question" is the most important issue in US-China relations and that the two nations could "have clashes and even conflicts" if the issue isn't handled properly. Beijing's framing treats the pause as validation of its negotiating pressure rather than a military necessity. The regional divergence highlights a critical asymmetry: Washington's bureaucratic transparency (public announcement by the Navy) conflicts with Taiwan's exclusion from the decision-making process, while China treats the delay as diplomatic success. Taiwan officials note they have received no formal notification despite Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun's statement that China's opposition remains "consistent, clear-cut and resolute." This suggests Trump administration communications prioritized signaling to Beijing over formal notification to Taipei, inverting the traditional principle that the U.S. should not consult China on Taiwan arms sales.