Trump Administration Halts $13 Billion Arms Deal with Taiwan Amid Xi Jinping’s Warning

By Sam Barron
Saturday, 28 February 2026

Billions of dollars in arms sales to Taiwan are being delayed by the Trump administration ahead of President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing in April. The package, valued at $13 billion and approved by a bipartisan group of lawmakers after the State Department sent it for review in January, is now on hold to avoid upsetting China’s leader Xi Jinping.

The arms sale includes interceptor missiles for Patriot air-defense launchers, anti-drone equipment, and NASAMS, another missile-based air-defense system.

During a call between Trump and Xi earlier this month, the Chinese leader warned about providing arms to Taiwan. According to a summary of the conversation by Chinese state news outlets, Xi told Trump that the U.S. stance on Taiwan was “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations” and stated that China “will never allow Taiwan to be separated from China.”

On February 16, Trump indicated he was weighing what to do about selling arms to Taiwan following Xi’s opposition.

The State Department has emphasized its continued commitment to Taiwan, stating: “This administration has been very clear that the enduring U.S. commitment to Taiwan continues, as it has for over four decades.”

A prior diplomatic agreement, the Six Assurances, states that the U.S. government will not consult with China about selling arms to Taiwan.

U.S. officials have said Trump’s goal is to preserve a trade truce with Xi while avoiding being pushed around by China. Chinese officials have also discussed a larger economic package, including significant U.S. Treasury purchases, that could be in play for the U.S. in exchange for publicly opposing Taiwanese independence.