Trump to speak with Taiwan president Lai as US weighs $14bn arms package
Trump says he will speak with Taiwan president William Lai, breaking a four-decade diplomatic norm as the US weighs a potential $14bn arms sale and faces Chinese objections.
Taiwan’s President William Lai said he would be “happy” to speak with President Donald Trump, a development that could break more than 40 years of diplomatic convention and inflame tensions with Beijing. The pledge from Trump came as the White House considered approval of an arms package for Taiwan that US officials say could be worth about $14 billion.
Trump Confirms Intention to Call Lai
On May 21, 2026, President Trump told reporters that he would speak directly with Lai, saying “I’ll speak to him. I speak to everybody.”
The statement followed Trump’s state visit to Beijing last week and appeared to dispel suggestions that his earlier reference to Lai during the China summit had been accidental.
Diplomatic Break With Four Decades of Practice
US and Taiwanese presidents have not held direct talks since Washington shifted formal diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.
That 1979 policy change has been the cornerstone of a delicate balance in which the United States maintains unofficial ties with Taipei while officially recognizing the People’s Republic of China.
Arms Sale as a Potential Negotiating Lever
Officials in Washington have indicated the possible arms package for Taiwan could be worth about $14 billion, a move that would test the parameters of US-China post-summit diplomacy.
Trump suggested on record that arms sales could form part of broader negotiations with Beijing, raising concerns among regional observers that defence assistance might be used as leverage rather than solely as deterrence.
Legal Obligation and Taipei’s Defence Strategy
The United States is bound by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties.
Taipei has repeatedly said it relies on American weapons and political support to deter potential Chinese coercion, and recent statements by Taiwanese ministers underscore a push to deepen defence procurement and cooperation.
Taipei’s Official Response and Security Messaging
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said President Lai remained committed to maintaining the stable status quo in the Taiwan Strait while describing China as “the disruptor of peace and stability.”
The ministry added that Lai would welcome a discussion with Trump about the island’s security, and Defence Minister Wellington Koo said Taipei remained “cautiously optimistic” about future arms purchases.
Beijing Watchful and Likely to Protest
China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control, making any high-profile contact between Washington and Taipei highly sensitive.
Diplomatic sources say Beijing is likely to register strong objections if a presidential call goes ahead or if a significant arms sale is approved, viewing such actions as interference in China’s internal affairs.
Echoes of the 2016 Precedent
The prospect of a presidential conversation recalls a 2016 incident when then-president-elect Trump accepted a call from Taiwan’s then-president Tsai Ing-wen, prompting an unusually sharp reaction from Beijing.
That precedent highlighted how even brief, informal exchanges at the highest level can send ripples through diplomatic relations and unsettle strategic calculations in the region.
The developments place Washington at a delicate crossroads between reaffirming defence commitments to Taiwan and managing a bilateral relationship with Beijing that White House officials described as productive after last week’s summit.
How the administration balances those priorities in the coming days — whether by approving the arms package, arranging a presidential call, or offering diplomatic clarifications — will shape immediate regional tensions and inform allies’ assessments of US policy stability.