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May 22, 2026
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US Pauses $14bn Arms Sale to Taiwan Amid Iran War

AI Summary
The US has paused a $14bn arms sale to Taiwan to conserve munitions for its potential war with Iran, according to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao. The sale, which would be the largest ever weapons transfer to Taiwan, requires President Donald Trump's sign-off to move forward.

The US-Taiwan Arms Sale Pause

A top official in the United States military has said Washington is pausing a $14bn arms sale to Taiwan to conserve munitions for its war on Iran.

Details of the Pause

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao provided the update to lawmakers during a Senate hearing on Thursday, a week after the weapons sale took centre stage in talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.

  • Cao told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense that the US is pausing the sale to ensure it has enough munitions for its potential conflict with Iran.
  • The decision to move forward with the sale would be made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Impact on Taiwan's Defense

Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai told reporters on Friday that Taiwan would continue to pursue arms purchases, according to Taiwanese news outlet FTV News.

William Yang, senior analyst for northeast Asia at the Crisis Group, said in a social media post that 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”.

The Iran Conflict and US Military Preparedness

The war has been paused since the US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on April 8, but the sides have yet to reach a permanent peace deal.

“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.

Future Outlook

Trump, who has confirmed that he discussed the arms sale with Xi, said last week in an interview with Fox News that he “may” or “may not” approve the package.

Trump has also suggested that the package could be used as a “negotiating chip” – despite a decades-old precedent against consulting with Beijing on arms sales.