Trump soon to decide on Taiwan arms sales: Source

Washington, May 22 (CNA) U.S. President Donald Trump will decide on Taiwan arms sales soon, a source familiar with the matter told CNA on Friday, after media reports said Washington had paused a proposed US$14 billion arms package for Taiwan because of the war with Iran.

"As President Trump said, he will make a decision regarding Taiwan arms sales soon," the source told CNA on condition of anonymity.

The source refuted reports citing the war with Iran as the reason for the delay in approving the arms package for Taiwan.

"These sales take years to process and are unrelated to Operation Epic Fury," the source said, adding that the U.S. military had "more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump's strategic goals and beyond."

In a Friday statement, Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also said that details regarding prospective foreign military sales and security assistance "remain pre-decisional until finalized by the President."

"Our Taiwan policy remains unchanged, and the U.S. continues to adhere to longstanding commitment consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act," Parnell said.

During a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on Thursday, U.S. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said Washington was withholding the package to ensure it had sufficient munitions for its ongoing war with Iran, according to The Hill.

"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 was quoted as saying, adding that the decision would rest with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

● DEFENSE / Taiwan passes U.S. arms bill with spending ceiling of US$24.8 billion (update)

In response to questions from CNA about a possible pause in arms sales to Taiwan, a White House official pointed out that Trump approved US$11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan in December 2025, "consistent with U.S. policy since the 1950s."

Separately, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Friday introduced a resolution reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act, a decades-old law under which the U.S. is required to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons, and the Six Assurances, under which the U.S. would not consult Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan.

"America's support for Taiwan is non-negotiable," Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement accompanying the resolution, which also urged the Trump administration to formally notify Congress of the proposed US$14 billion arms package.