Greer Reassures Taiwan After Trump Links Arms Sales to China Negotiations

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said there is no change in American policy on Taiwan, despite President Donald Trump’s recent comments linking arms sales to negotiations with China.

Greer made the statement on ABC’s This Week program Sunday. He was responding to questions about Trump’s remarks following a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.

“The most important thing that needs to happen is we need to have no change in the status quo in the Taiwan straits,” Greer told ABC. “There’s no change in American policy on Taiwan.”

He added that Trump is “considering how to move forward” on a potential new arms package. Greer noted that previous presidents, including Barack Obama and George W. Bush, had also paused such sales at times.

“The president’s very focused on making sure that nothing happens there,” Greer said. He noted that Trump had made “no commitments to President Xi on Taiwan” and would keep his own counsel on any sales.

Trump had earlier described the arms deal as a potential bargaining tool. 

In an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier aired after the summit, Trump spoke about a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan that has been held up for months. 

“I haven’t approved it yet. We’re going to see what happens. I may do it, I may not do it. I’m holding that in abeyance, and it depends on China. It’s a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly. It’s a lot of weapons,” he said. 

On May 15, aboard Air Force One after leaving Beijing, Trump told reporters he had discussed the arms sales with Xi “in great detail.”

He said he would make a decision “over the next fairly short period.”

Trump questioned the relevance of older agreements, asking why he should refuse to discuss the issue because of “an agreement that was signed in 1982.”

The United States provides arms to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. That law requires Washington to supply the island with defensive weapons and to maintain the ability to resist any use of force that threatens Taiwan’s security.

The Reagan administration’s Six Assurances from 1982 included a promise not to consult Beijing on arms sales decisions to Taiwan.

In December 2025, the Trump administration approved an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, the largest at that time. It included systems such as HIMARS rocket launchers, howitzers, and drones.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Fox News Sunday that the United States and Congress remain committed to Taiwan.

“China cannot just go over and take the land,” he added.

Taiwan is a self-governing democratic island that the Chinese regime claims as its own territory. 

The United States does not officially recognize Taiwan as a separate country but has maintained unofficial relations and arms support since switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.

No final decision on the new $14 billion package has been announced.