Trump urges Congress to boost Taiwan defense aid to US$1 billion

Washington, July 20 (CNA) The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed support for U.S. aid to Taiwan to bolster its defense capabilities and "strongly urged" Congress to increase the appropriation to US$1 billion.

In the statement dated July 15, the Office of Management and Budget under the Executive Office of the President said the Trump administration appreciated the House Appropriations Committee's inclusion of US$500 million for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative (TSCI) in the fiscal 2026 Department of Defense Appropriations Act.

The office said the US$500 million is crucial to the Department of Defense's efforts to enhance Taiwan's self-defense capabilities.

However, the office said, "The Administration strongly urges full consideration of the fiscal 2026 budget request of US$1 billion for TSCI, as Taiwan's ability to credibly defend itself is vital for deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and important for safeguarding United States personnel in the event of a contingency."

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed its version of the 2026 defense appropriations bill, which includes US$500 million in aid for Taiwan, though a final version must still be negotiated with the Senate, which has yet to release its draft.

The bill includes US$831.5 billion in spending and sets aside funds for Taiwan, managed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, available until Sept. 30, 2027, for the TSCI. It requires the U.S. Secretary of Defense to report quarterly to congressional defense committees on how the funds are being used.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party told CNA that the House discussed the TSCI after hearing testimony from retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery in May titled "Deterrence Amid Rising Tensions: Preventing CCP Aggression on Taiwan."

In his testimony, Montgomery urged Congress to increase financial aid to Taiwan to strengthen its defense, noting that Taipei is too small to face Beijing alone since China's GDP is 23 times larger than Taiwan's.

Montgomery said defense aid to Taiwan can be increased through Foreign Military Financing (FMF), Presidential Drawdown Authorities (PDA) and the TSCI, which allow the U.S. to provide equipment to Taiwan.

Montgomery recommended US$300 million for TSCI's first year and urged Congress to approve US$1 billion for 2026 and beyond.

A key use for this money would be training Taiwan's troops, including captain's courses and battalion-level training at U.S. bases in Hawaii and the West Coast, Montgomery said.

Montgommery served 32 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a rear admiral in 2017, with key roles including commander of Carrier Strike Group 5 and senior staff positions at U.S. Pacific and European Commands.