New Development: The Pause Is Official

Navy Secretary Hung Cao told a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on Thursday, May 22 that the $14 billion arms package for Taiwan is on pause, confirmed on the record in Congress.

"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," Cao said, according to Al Jazeera and The Guardian. "But the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary."

Epic Fury is the name of the U.S. military operation against Iran. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8, but no permanent deal exists.

Taiwan Wasn't Notified

Taiwanese presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said Friday that Taipei has "no information indicating that the US intends to make any adjustments to this arms sale," according to the Associated Press via PBS News. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai separately told reporters Taiwan would continue pursuing arms purchases.

The United States publicly announced a pause on the largest weapons transfer in Taiwan's history without notifying Taipei first.

The Xi Connection

This pause comes one week after Trump sat down with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Taiwan's arms deal was front and center in those talks.

Trump told reporters on the flight back to Washington: "I will make a determination... I'll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that's 9,500 miles away." That's from PBS News/AP.

Trump also said Xi "reiterated China's strong opposition to Taiwan's independence" — and Trump's response? "I heard him out. I didn't make a comment."

No pushback followed.

Reagan's Six Assurances

According to PBS News, analysts say Trump's decision to discuss Taiwan arms sales with Xi may violate the Six Assurances — a set of U.S. policy principles established under President Ronald Reagan in 1982. The second assurance explicitly states the U.S. "did not agree to consult with the People's Republic of China on arms sales to Taiwan."

Trump acknowledged the topic came up in his talks with Xi. He did NOT deny consulting with Beijing on the matter.

Mitch McConnell Called It "Distressing"

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell pushed Cao at the hearing and got this exchange on the record, according to The Guardian.

McConnell asked whether arms sales to Taiwan would eventually be approved. Cao deferred to Rubio and Hegseth. McConnell's response: "Yeah, that's what's really distressing."

When McConnell — who has supported virtually every Trump priority — uses that language in open session about Taiwan arms sales, it signals Republican concern.

Where the Two Packages Stand

Two separate arms packages are in play:

• $11 billion package: Authorized by Trump in December, according to PBS News. Still hasn't moved.
• $14 billion package: Approved by Congress in January. Requires Trump's formal sign-off to Congress to advance. Now officially paused.

If the $14 billion sale were approved, it would be the largest weapons transfer in Taiwan's history, surpassing the December package.

What the Experts Are Saying

William Yang, senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the Crisis Group, said the pause will "exacerbate anxiety and scepticism about US support in Taiwan and make it difficult for the Taiwanese government to request additional defence budget for the foreseeable future," according to Al Jazeera.

A Taiwan that doubts U.S. commitment builds less defense capacity. A Taiwan with less defense capacity is easier for Beijing to pressure or coerce. That's how deterrence unravels.

Coverage Split

Left-leaning outlets are framing this almost entirely through a Trump-is-abandoning-allies lens without acknowledging that Iran war munitions depletion is a real logistical concern — not just an excuse.

Right-leaning outlets are either downplaying the Reagan Six Assurances breach or ignoring it entirely to avoid criticizing Trump.

The munitions concern is real. The Xi consultation problem is also real. Both things appear to be true.

The Sequence

The U.S. government announced a pause on Taiwan's biggest-ever arms sale, one week after Trump sat with Xi and declined to defend the policy to China's face — and Taiwan found out from news reports.

If China is watching for signals about American resolve on Taiwan, they received one this week.