Senators Push Trump on Taiwan Arms Deal

Newsmax ^ | 05/11/2026 | Charlie McCarthu

[thegagline]

Days before Donald Trump is scheduled to visit mainland China, a group of mostly Democrat senators reportedly is urging the president to move ahead with a long-delayed $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan.

The bipartisan group pressed Trump in a Friday letter to formally notify Congress of the major arms sale ahead of his summit this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping, warning that U.S. support for Taiwan "is not up for negotiation," The New York Times reported.

The senators argued Taiwan has already demonstrated its commitment to self-defense after lawmakers in Taipei approved a massive $25 billion special defense budget last week aimed at strengthening deterrence against Communist China. The letter was signed by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Chris Coons, D-Del., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Andy Kim, D-N.J., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and John Curtis, R-Utah.

"Ahead of your summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, we urge you and your team to make clear that America's support for Taiwan is inviolable," the senators wrote, the Times reported.

The weapons package, reportedly approved in principle months ago, has remained stalled inside the State Department amid concerns the White House wanted to avoid provoking Beijing before Trump's face-to-face meeting with Xi.

CBS News reported the Taiwan issue has become the top geopolitical flashpoint between Washington and Beijing, with Xi increasingly pressuring the self-governing island democracy while refusing to rule out military force.

*** The push from senators comes as China hawks warn against allowing Beijing to pressure the U.S. into weakening support for one of America's strongest democratic allies in the Pacific.

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: andykim; asia; ccp; china; chriscoons; communism; delaware; elissaslotkin; freedom; illinois; jackyrosen; jeanneshaheen; johncurtis; michigan; military; nevada; newhampshire; newjersey; northcarolina; senate; taiwan; tammyduckworth; thomtillis; utah

[thegagline]

[dforest]

How about NO.

[nonliberal]

I’m really not sure on this. China would be just as screwed as the rest of the world if they invaded Taiwan and TSC destroys their manufacturing capacity. There’s plans in place to do just that, I understand.

But then again, I didn’t think anyone would be dumb enough to go after Iran because they would just close the strait and send oil prices through the roof, but here we are.

[thegagline]

I’m really not sure on this. China would be just as screwed as the rest of the world if they invaded Taiwan and TSC destroys their manufacturing capacity. There’s plans in place to do just that, I understand. But then again, I didn’t think anyone would be dumb enough to go after Iran because they would just close the strait and send oil prices through the roof, but here we are.

Agreed. Operation AIPAC Futility. A day before the start of this war, RBOB gas was $2.078. It is now trading at $3.63. An increase of approximately 74%🚀

[dforest]

I would not disagree with you.

[xone]

I didn’t think anyone would be dumb enough to go after Iran

Must be you have liked a mullah humping you for 47 years. To do otherwise than to take on Iran is cowardice, something else of which I'm sure you are fond.

[nonliberal]

Interesting choice. Believe an “intelligence community” that has lied to for the last 60 years about the threat posed by shithole countries or get blown up by Mullahs.