Taiwan Arms Deal Put On Ice Amid China Pressure, But Pentagon Cites Iran War Stockpile Concerns

Did the Pentagon just back down amid pressure from China? It appears so. As we reported Thursday, China has been actively holding up a proposed visit by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's under-secretary of defense for policy. The move is a transparent effort to pressure President Trump over a looming $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan.

Sources familiar with the talks told the Financial Times that Beijing signaled it "cannot approve a visit until Trump decides how he will proceed with the arms package."

Later the same day, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao revealed that the US is indeed pausing the $14BN arms sale in question, though he framed the move as due to the Trump administration's war with Iran. He said this was to make sure there's plenty of missile supply and interceptors to execute the war, especially in the scenario that a full aerial bombing operation is renewed. 

Addressing a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing, Cao sought to assure that the US still has "plenty” of missiles and interceptors, amid growing concerns from officials.

"Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury - which we have plenty," Cao told Sen. Mitch McConnell. "We’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary."

McConnell pressed Cao further on the arms sale to Taiwanto which the acting Navy chief responded that it would be up to Pete Hegseth, to which the Republican Senator from Kentucky replied, "Yeah, that’s what’s really distressing."

While the administration is trying to frame all of this as more out of caution over Iran war supplies, The Hill points out that President Trump had already situated it within dealings with Xi and China:

Cao's remarks appear to contradict President Trump’s stated reason for the pause; last week he indicated he may hold off on the arms sale to Taiwan as a "negotiating chip" with China.

"I haven’t approved it yet. We’re going to see what happens," Trump told Fow News. "I may do it; I may not do it."

Speaking to reporters after a trip to China, Trump said the topic was discussed with Chinese President Xi Jinping "in great detail" before saying he will "make a determination over the next fairly short period."

As for Colby, the Pentagon had been actively discussing a summer trip to Beijing with Chinese officials, but China effectively froze the process and logistics. 

Trump admin officials have been quick to point out that Trump has approved "the sale of more weapons to Taiwan than any other US president." And so it appears that such bravado should come with a cost, in Beijing's apparent thinking.

The Trump administration paused a $14 billion weapons sale to Taiwan to preserve U.S. munitions for the Iran war, according to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.

“Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury,” Cao told senators,… pic.twitter.com/WSsedV94ay

— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 22, 2026

And yet, Trump has repeatedly publicly touted his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as "amazing" - though his recent Beijing trip did nothing to ultimately produce a breakthrough.

At the very least, all of this also suggests that the dragged-out Iran war is weakening the Pentagon's force posture in southeast Asia, after earlier in the war military assets, including anti-air defense systems, were pulled from the region.