WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pressing the Trump administration over delayed security assistance and arms sales for Taiwan as Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits Washington for a state dinner at the White House.
Senators question $1.3B in unobligated funds and a $14B arms package
On Sept. 23, Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth questioning why three forms of Taiwan security support remain stalled. The letter cited $300 million in foreign military financing appropriated for Taiwan, $1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, and a pending $14 billion arms package.
The senators asked Rubio why the $300 million had not been obligated and requested details from Hegseth on whether the Pentagon intends to obligate the $1 billion, when it would do so, and what capabilities the funds would support. The letter also expressed concern over President Donald Trump’s description of Taiwan as “a very good negotiating chip” in engagements with Xi and the Chinese Communist Party.
Bipartisan caucus urges immediate notification of $14B arms sale
Separately, on Sept. 22, Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Taiwan Caucus, sent a letter to Trump urging him to immediately notify Congress of the $14 billion arms sale package to Taiwan. The letter emphasized the need for swift action to formalize the sale.
Republican senator criticizes Trump’s approach to China
During an interview with CBS Evening News on Sept. 26, Sen. Tillis questioned the timing of Xi’s state visit, calling it “a WTF moment” and expressing concern over Trump’s red-carpet reception for Xi compared to the reception given to allies like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Tillis cited China’s human rights abuses against the Uyghurs, espionage capabilities, alleged access to U.S. voter data, and reports that Iran has used information from China to target U.S. military assets in the region.
Tillis also questioned why the administration has held up an arms shipment to Taiwan, stating, “If we want to build a productive relationship with Xi Jinping and China, we also have to hold him accountable for things that are simply unacceptable.”
Trump defends engagement with China
During a White House arrival ceremony for Xi on Sept. 25, Trump said he and Xi had forged a “truly great friendship.” The visit follows a period of strained U.S.-China relations, including a trade war in 2024 that briefly saw both countries impose tariffs exceeding 100% on each other’s goods. The U.S. and China later struck a tariff truce in 2025, and Trump has since emphasized the need for a more productive relationship with China.
The administration has not publicly detailed the reasons for the delays in Taiwan security assistance or the $14 billion arms package. The White House and Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on the senators’ letters or the status of the arms sale.