Trump noncommittal to continued Taiwan arms sales after meeting with Xi

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The president’s comments mean a $14 billion deal, which Congress approved back in January, now hangs in the balance.

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on May 15, 2026, at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing. | Mark Schiefelbein/AP

President Donald Trump said he was still deliberating a major arms sale to Taiwan, floating what would amount to a significant change in American foreign policy following a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

“I’ll make a determination over the next fairly short period. I’m gonna make a determination,” he told reporters of the potential sale as Air Force One made its way back to the U.S. from China on Friday, saying he needed to speak to the person “that’s running Taiwan.”