Not Weapon Shortage Over Iran War, But Fear Of Xi Jinping Behind US Pausing Taiwan Mega Arms Deal?

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]Fear of Xi Jinping, rather than just the war with Iran, is now being blamed for the United States cutting back weapon sales to Taiwan. Is the US using weapon shortages amid the Iran war as a convenient excuse to justify delays and reductions and effectively betray Taiwan? Is Trump fleeing the East Asian battlefield after his perceived loss in Iran, just as she moves more boldly toward invading Taiwan?

[00:00:23]As tension between China and Taiwan continue to rise, focus now shifts sharply to recent US arms sales, drawing renewed international scrutiny and concern over how military support could alter regional stability and diplomatic relations. Experts claim the reported pause in US arms shipments to Taiwan is not a consequence of the conflict in Iran, arguing instead that other strategic and political calculations are far more likely to explain the hold up, according to The Guardian. Those experts weighed in after official publicly stated that the pause in the Taiwan arms deal was linked to the war in Iran, prompting analysts to examine the plausibility and motives behind that explanation. The report appeared just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a warning to former President Trump against interfering in Taiwan affairs, heightening tensions [music] and adding a diplomatic backdrop to questions about the US arms decision.

[00:01:12]During Mr. Trump's visit to Beijing, Xi warned that Taiwan could drag US-China relations into a dangerous place, using strong language to underscore Beijing sensitivity and signaling potential consequences for [music] actions perceived as meddling. The pause in a US-Taiwan $14 billion arms package was reported to have occurred after President Trump's Beijing trip on May 14th to 15th, a timing that has led observers to link the development with a high-profile diplomatic engagement.

[00:01:38]Experts argue that the United States [music] involvement in the Iran war and any resulting logistical strain on arms inventories is an unlikely explanation for the pause, with many pointing to political calculations as the more probable cause. Analysts told reporters there is a very, very low likelihood that the Iran war has materially impacted the Taiwan deal, stressing that such a connection [music] would require evidence of extraordinary operational constraints not currently apparent.

[00:02:03]Those same analysts informed The Guardian that processing and approving a complex arms package of the scale could take up to 6 years, highlighting the lengthy bureaucracy and legal reviews that typically accompany high-value defense deals.

[00:02:15]Rupert Hammond Chambers, [music] president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, said, and I quote, "If he sends those congressional notifications by the end of June, you're talking about another 6 to 12 months before the contract is signed, and then the clock starts on delivery.

[00:02:32]So, we're really into the 2030s by the time Taiwan's weapons are delivered."

[00:02:36]Unquote.

[00:02:39]Uncertainty over the deal surfaced after former President Trump suggested, in remarks that reverberated through diplomatic circles, that he might take steps to block the Taiwan arms package, creating fresh ambiguity around the timing and fate of the agreement. Trump openly stated he could leverage future Taiwan arms sales as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Beijing, a claim that introduced a transactional element to what has long been framed as a strategic security partnership, and raised alarms among allies and analysts alike. If delays to the arms package extend into the autumn months, the resulting gap in Taiwan's defense preparations could leave the island in an extremely precarious and vulnerable position, undermining readiness and complicating deterrence at a critical moment. Meanwhile, plans are moving forward for President Trump to host Xi Jinping in Washington this September, a high-stakes meeting that could directly influence the trajectory of US-China relations and decisions about [music] Taiwan security provisions.

[00:03:38]The United States has formally paused a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, even as tensions with China continue to soar in the Taiwan Strait and beyond. The update was delivered by the US Navy's acting secretary, Hung Cao, during a Senate hearing on May 21st, putting the decision on the public record. Cao explained that the pause was intended to [music] conserve munitions for America's ongoing war on Iran, arguing that US forces must be fully equipped for current operations. Hung Cao said, and I quote, "Right now, we're doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury, which we have plenty.

[00:04:13]But we're just making sure we have everything. But then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary."

[00:04:20]End quote.

[00:04:22]Cao also stated that the decision to move forward with the Taiwan sale would ultimately be made by Secretary of War Pete Hexeth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. A senior analyst warned that the pause will likely exacerbate anxiety in Taiwan, >> [music] >> where leaders already question how reliable US backing will be in a crisis.

[00:04:38]The same analyst argued it will make it harder for Taipei to ask its own legislature for additional defense budget in future, because lawmakers will point to stalled US deliveries.

[00:04:47]Meanwhile, Taiwanese Premier Cho Young-tai told reporters that Taipei will continue to pursue arms purchases, insisting Taiwan has no choice but to keep strengthening its defenses. Trump confirmed that he discussed the proposed arms sale with Xi Jinping during their talks in Beijing, indicating that Taiwan featured directly in his negotiations with China's leader. After that meeting, Trump publicly stated that he may or may not approve the package, leaving the fate of the deal deliberately ambiguous.

[00:05:14]The US president was also expected to speak with his Taiwanese counterpart about the sale, a conversation that could shape Taipei's expectations and strategy. If it eventually goes ahead, the $14 billion weapons package would be the largest single arms transfer to Taiwan in US history. The US Congress approved the package back in January 2026, but under American law the sale still requires a final sign-off from the president to move forward. Previously, in December 2025, Trump had approved an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan, underscoring how dramatic a shift this latest pause appears to be.

[00:05:52]Trump's public hint [music] that he might call Taiwan's president lying now puts immediate pressure on Beijing's long stated red line, barely a week after his supposed reset summit with Xi.

[00:06:02]On May 21st, China reiterated that it firmly opposes any form of official US contact with Taiwan's leadership, repeating a position that underpins its entire approach to the island.

[00:06:13]China's foreign ministry urged Washington to implement what it called the heads of state consensus reached in Beijing, implying that a Trump-like call would violate understandings from the summit.

[00:06:23]Officials called on the United States to handle the Taiwan issue with prudence and to show that caution through concrete actions, not just reassuring words.

[00:06:32]Beijing warned that any direct Trump-like conversation would cross a red line and could undo the limited progress made in de-escalating tensions at the recent leaders meeting.

[00:06:42]China firmly opposes the United States engaging in official exchanges with the Taiwan region of China and resolutely opposes US arms sales to Taiwan. This position has always been consistent, clear, and unwavering. China urges the United States to honor the important consensus reached at the summit between the leaders of China and the United States, fulfill the commitments and undertakings it has made, handle the Taiwan issue with the utmost prudence, stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan independent separatist forces, and take concrete actions to uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and maintain the stable development of China-US relations.

[00:08:03]>> Oh.