A bipartisan group of US senators is calling on President Donald Trump to push forward with $14 billion in arms sales to Taiwan ahead of his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week, arguing the package is critical to Taiwan’s defense and US strategy.
In a letter published Monday, lawmakers called on the administration to notify Congress of the weapons package, which had already been pre-approved in January 2025.
“We strongly encourage your administration to formally notify the $14 billion in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan that Congress pre-approved in January 2025,” the senators said.
The letter was signed by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Thom Tillis, Chris Coons, John Curtis, Tammy Duckworth, Jacky Rosen, Andy Kim, and Elissa Slotkin.
The senators pointed to recent action by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, which approved a $25 billion special defense budget meant to strengthen the island’s military. According to the letter, funding is expected to go toward US-made defense systems awaiting congressional notification, including counter-drone technology, an integrated battle command system, and medium-range munitions.
“Following months of encouragement from bipartisan members of Congress and your administration, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan today approved a robust special defense budget of $25 billion to enhance the island’s self-defense capabilities,” the senators wrote.
Lawmakers also called on Trump not to include Taiwan in any broader negotiations with Beijing during talks with Xi Jinping. “Just as Taiwan’s leaders demonstrated unity in support of their people’s defense, so too must we move ahead with pending U.S. arms sales vital to our own national interests,” the Senators wrote. “You should make clear to Beijing that as you seek to level the economic playing field, American support for Taiwan is not up for negotiation.”
The letter also warned that Chinese control of Taiwan could have major economic effects in the US: “In a world in which Beijing moves decisively to seek control of Taiwan, American families would suffer from severe and long-term inflation, supply chain disruptions that would destroy manufacturing jobs at home and steep hikes in the cost of living,” they concluded.
In a letter published Monday, lawmakers called on the administration to notify Congress of the weapons package, which had already been pre-approved in January 2025.
“We strongly encourage your administration to formally notify the $14 billion in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan that Congress pre-approved in January 2025,” the senators said.
The letter was signed by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, Thom Tillis, Chris Coons, John Curtis, Tammy Duckworth, Jacky Rosen, Andy Kim, and Elissa Slotkin.
The senators pointed to recent action by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, which approved a $25 billion special defense budget meant to strengthen the island’s military. According to the letter, funding is expected to go toward US-made defense systems awaiting congressional notification, including counter-drone technology, an integrated battle command system, and medium-range munitions.
“Following months of encouragement from bipartisan members of Congress and your administration, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan today approved a robust special defense budget of $25 billion to enhance the island’s self-defense capabilities,” the senators wrote.
Lawmakers also called on Trump not to include Taiwan in any broader negotiations with Beijing during talks with Xi Jinping. “Just as Taiwan’s leaders demonstrated unity in support of their people’s defense, so too must we move ahead with pending U.S. arms sales vital to our own national interests,” the Senators wrote. “You should make clear to Beijing that as you seek to level the economic playing field, American support for Taiwan is not up for negotiation.”
The letter also warned that Chinese control of Taiwan could have major economic effects in the US: “In a world in which Beijing moves decisively to seek control of Taiwan, American families would suffer from severe and long-term inflation, supply chain disruptions that would destroy manufacturing jobs at home and steep hikes in the cost of living,” they concluded.
