Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed back Saturday against assertions from a senior U.S. military official that the ongoing conflict with Iran has stalled a $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, Hegseth insisted the delay is unrelated to munitions shortages tied to the Iran campaign.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao had told senators last week that the United States was holding off on the sale to preserve its dwindling ammunition stockpiles. Hegseth, however, dismissed any link between the two issues, calling Cao a “fantastic” officer but stressing that he “would not couple the two in any way at all.”
Hegseth said the U.S. is in a “very good place” regarding its weapons inventory and expressed confidence in future production rates. His remarks come as President Trump has yet to greenlight the massive sale, which includes advanced missiles, artillery, and other military hardware sought by Taipei to bolster its self-defense capabilities.
The defense secretary’s intervention underscores the delicate balancing act Washington faces as it seeks to support Taiwan without provoking Beijing, which claims the island as part of China. Under the “One China” policy, the U.S. maintains unofficial ties with Taiwan but has long provided arms under the Taiwan Relations Act.
Trump told reporters after his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping that he had not decided on the sale. “On Taiwan, he does not want to see a fight for independence because that would be a very strong confrontation, and I heard it out,” Trump said, adding that he made no comment on the matter during his talks with Xi.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry responded by emphasizing the arms deal’s importance. “Regarding arms sales to Taiwan, this is not only a security commitment to Taiwan explicitly stated in the Taiwan Relations Act, but also a joint deterrent against regional threats,” the ministry said in a statement.
Hegseth reiterated that any final decision on the sale rests with Trump, who was present for the Beijing discussions. “Any decision about future Taiwan arms sales, as the president said, will rest with him and as a nature of that relationship,” Hegseth said. “There’s no change in our status there.”
The defense secretary also touched on U.S. negotiations with Iran, saying Trump is “patient” in pursuing a deal. “He wanted me to reiterate how patient he is in ensuring that America undertaking this kind of historic endeavor, any deal would be a good one, a great one,” Hegseth said.
Hegseth’s appearance in Singapore came amid growing doubts over U.S. commitment to Taiwan and broader regional security concerns. The dispute over the arms sale highlights the tensions between Washington’s strategic priorities and its military readiness.
