Taiwan Blindsided as U.S. Quietly Halts Arms Sales

(MENAFN) The Taiwanese government says it has no knowledge of any "adjustments" to American arms transfers, after a senior U.S. defense official confirmed a halt on weapons deliveries — triggered by the recent attack on Iran and mounting pressure to replenish depleted domestic military stockpiles.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump publicly described arms shipments to Taiwan as "a very good negotiating chip" in managing tensions with China — a statement that appeared to directly undercut Washington's long-standing legal obligation to arm the self-governing island. Taipei moved swiftly to soften the blow, with President Lai Ching-te describing the sales as "the most important deterrent" against any potential regional conflict. Beijing, for its part, has consistently condemned U.S.-Taiwan military ties as a breach of the One-China principle and an intrusion into its sovereign affairs.

The suspension was publicly acknowledged by U.S. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao during testimony before a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on Thursday. When pressed on the status of future weapons transfers to the island, Cao pointed to operational demands stemming from the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, stressing the need to ensure adequate domestic readiness before resuming foreign deliveries.

"It's just 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," he said.

The joint U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran is widely assessed to have placed extraordinary pressure on Washington's weapons inventories. While senior Pentagon officials have repeatedly insisted that sufficient munitions remain available should hostilities resume, independent analysts warn that consumption rates of high-cost precision systems — including interceptor missiles and advanced guided munitions — have reached alarming levels.

The ripple effects are now being felt across NATO allies. The Pentagon has quietly notified partners including the UK, Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia to brace for significant delays in scheduled weapons deliveries, according to a report by the Financial Times. The disruptions are expected to affect ammunition for mobile rocket artillery platforms and air defense systems alike. The Pentagon has said it has been "carefully evaluating new requests for equipment from partners as well as existing arms transfer cases to ensure alignment with operational needs."

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