As China–Taiwan tensions climb, Washington’s reported pause on a 14‑billion‑dollar arms package is raising hard questions about Trump’s real priorities. U.S. officials publicly blamed the Iran war, but experts told The Guardian that politics and Xi Jinping’s warning in Beijing are far likelier factors, with delivery timelines now drifting into the 2030s and Taiwan potentially left exposed.

The pause of a $14 billion arms package raises concerns about U.S. support for Taipei.

While approval is due soon for $14bn deal, actual deliveries to Taiwan are years away – making ‘Operation Epic Fury’ in the Gulf an unlikely cause