U.S. arms sales to Taiwan take years to process ​and are unrelated to the war with Iran, a source familiar ‌with the matter said, after a senior U.S. ​official suggested there was a pause due to the ⁠need to have enough arms for the conflict.

Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has been waiting for the U.S. to approve ‌an arms sale that Reuters reported could be worth up to $14 billion.

Taiwan’s government says U.S. hasn’t notified it of any pause in a planned $14 billion arms sale

President Donald Trump sowed uncertainty in ‌Taipei by saying, after meeting China’s President Xi Jinping ‌this ⁠month, that he was undecided on whether to approve ⁠the package.

On Thursday (May 21, 2026), acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao told a Senate Appropriations Defence Subcommittee hearing that there was a pause on arms sales to ​Taiwan to make sure ‌the U.S. had the munitions needed for the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran.

The source familiar with the matter noted that Mr. Trump has said he would decide on the ‌Taiwan arms sales soon. “These sales take years to ​process and are unrelated to Operation Epic Fury,” the source said, referring to the war the U.S. and ⁠Israel launched in February. “The United States military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump’s ‌strategic goals and beyond.”

The U.S. is bound by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, and has said since Mr. Trump met Mr. Xi that its policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged.

A White House official told Reuters that, as Mr. Trump has said, he will decide in a fairly short time regarding a new Taiwan arms package, ​and noted the $11 billion package already approved in December. “In his first term, President Trump approved more arms ⁠sales to Taiwan than any other President in history,” the official added.

Taiwan’s ⁠government said on Friday (May 22, 2026) it had not received any information about U.S. arms sales delays. China has repeatedly called ‌for the U.S. to stop arms sales. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, saying only the Taiwanese people can ​decide their future.

Taiwan hasn’t been notified of any pause in a planned $14 billion U.S. arms sale, a government official said Friday (May 22, 2026), after the acting U.S. Navy Secretary told a Senate committee in Washington that some foreign military sales were being delayed to ensure the American military has enough munitions for the Iran war.

Days after U.S. President Donald Trump raised doubts about continuing arms sales to Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, acting U.S. Navy Secretary Hung Cao said on Thursday (May 21, 2026) that the sales would resume when the administration considers it appropriate.

“Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for ‘Epic Fury,’” Mr. Cao told the U.S. Senate Appropriations Defence Subcommittee, referring to the Trump administration’s name for the Iran operation. “Then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary.”

Taiwan’s authorities have seen the reports, “but currently there is no information regarding any adjustments the U.S. will make to this arms sale,” Taiwanese Presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said Friday (May 22, 2026) when asked about Mr. Cao’s comments.

Mr. Trump’s Republican administration authorised an $11 billion weapons package for Taipei in December, but it has yet to move forward. American lawmakers also approved a separate $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan in January, though the deal can’t proceed until Mr. Trump formally submits it to U.S. Congress.

In an interview with Fox News on his way back to the United States from last week’s trip to Beijing, Mr. Trump said that arms sales to Taiwan are “a very good negotiating chip” in Washington’s dealings with China.

On Wednesday (May 20, 2026), marking his two years in office, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said that if given the chance, he would tell Mr. Trump to continue U.S. arms purchases, which Mr. Lai called essential for peace.

When asked about Mr. Cao’s comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that “China’s opposition to the U.S. arms sale to China’s Taiwan region is consistent, clear-cut and resolute.”

Last week, during Mr. Trump’s visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a strong warning, telling him that the “Taiwan question” is the most important issue in U.S.-China relations and that the two nations could “have clashes and even conflicts,” if the issues isn’t handled properly.

Mr. Trump later told reporters that he needed to talk to the person who is running Taiwan, without naming Mr. Lai, who Beijing deems a separatist.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Lai holding talks likely would anger China, which typically responds strongly to visits to Taiwan by U.S. politicians.

Mr. Kuo, the Taiwan Presidential spokesperson, said on Friday (May 22, 2026) there was no more information about a potential conversation between Mr. Lai and Mr. Trump.