The US and Taiwan have not made concrete plans for a call between President Donald Trump and Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te, despite Trump repeatedly saying he would speak with him about Taiwan’s defense policies, according to people familiar with the ma

2026-05-23

The US and Taiwan have not made concrete plans for a call between President Donald Trump and Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te, despite Trump repeatedly saying he would speak with him about Taiwan’s defense policies, according to people familiar with the matter. Beijing warned Washington that such contact could damage bilateral ties following Trump’s recent meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump also said he has not decided whether to approve a potential $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan, although US officials privately told Taipei to expect no policy change.