WASHINGTON — The United States has paused a proposed $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan to preserve munitions for the war with Iran, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao has said, raising fresh questions about Washington’s ability to sustain multiple security commitments at once.
Cao said Thursday that the Trump administration had put the Taiwan package on hold because U.S. weapons stocks were needed for operations linked to the Iran conflict. The comments, reported by The Hill and carried by AOL, suggest the administration is weighing Taiwan’s defence needs against immediate battlefield demands in the Middle East.
The proposed sale had already become politically sensitive. President Donald Trump previously said he had not yet approved the package and suggested future Taiwan arms sales could depend partly on broader talks with China. Reuters reported earlier this week that Taiwan remained “cautiously optimistic” about continued U.S. arms support, even as Taipei watched Trump’s comments with concern.
Taiwan’s government has repeatedly argued that U.S. weapons sales are essential to deterring Chinese military pressure. President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan would not be sacrificed, traded away or forced to abandon its democratic way of life, stressing that American arms support is rooted in the Taiwan Relations Act.
The pause comes as the United States remains heavily engaged in the Middle East. The Trump administration’s war with Iran has placed growing strain on U.S. missile and air-defence inventories, despite official assurances that supplies remain sufficient. The U.S. Navy is also enforcing a blockade connected to the conflict, and the Pentagon replaced Navy Secretary John Phelan in April with Cao as acting secretary amid tensions over military policy.
For Taiwan, any delay is likely to deepen anxiety about U.S. reliability at a time of increased Chinese military activity around the island. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force to bring it under its control. Taipei rejects China’s sovereignty claim and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
The issue also highlights a wider strategic dilemma for Washington. The United States is attempting to support Ukraine, maintain deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and sustain operations in the Middle East, all while rebuilding weapons production capacity.
Analysts say a temporary pause does not necessarily mean the sale has been cancelled. But the decision may reinforce concerns among U.S. allies that urgent conflicts elsewhere could slow promised weapons deliveries.
For Beijing, the delay may be viewed as evidence of U.S. overstretch. For Taipei, it is a reminder that even long-standing American security commitments can be affected by crises far beyond the Taiwan Strait.
