U.S. Suspends Taiwan Weapons Sales Due to Iran War

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Thursday that the United States is pausing a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan to preserve munitions for the Trump administration’s war with Iran.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, Cao told Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that Washington still has “plenty” of missiles and interceptors but is reviewing supplies for the Persian Gulf theater before foreign military sales continue. The U.S. has expended a significant portion of its munitions stockpiles, notably interceptor missiles, during the war.

Previously, President Donald Trump suggested that the weapons deal could be the subject of negotiations with the People’s Republic of China, a prospect that alarmed China hawks in the U.S.

The Taiwanese government has pushed for the sale to go through, suggesting that the deal will increase the island nation’s deterrence capabilities against potential Chinese aggression.