Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee chairman Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and three fellow Republicans have formally pressed the Trump administration to release billions of dollars in congressionally appropriated security assistance for Taiwan, warning that delays are eroding trust among Indo-Pacific allies.
In a letter dated Wednesday, the senators called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to explain why funds for Taiwan have not been obligated, and to move forward with the assistance. The letter cites three specific funding streams: $300 million in foreign military financing that the State Department has not yet committed, $1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative that the Defense Department has failed to obligate, and approximately $14 billion in foreign military sales that the administration has withheld.
The lawmakers expressed particular alarm over President Trump’s public description of Taiwan as “a very good negotiating chip” in discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping. They argued that such rhetoric, combined with the funding stalls, sends a dangerous signal to regional partners.
“It is difficult to imagine how the United States might credibly project influence in the Indo-Pacific if the price of keeping up diplomatic appearances is denying our partners key deterrent capabilities,” the senators wrote, drawing a direct comparison to the fallout from former President Joe Biden’s decision to withhold military aid to Ukraine ahead of a 2021 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The letter, also signed by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), reminds both Cabinet officials of their previous strong statements on Taiwan. The senators note that Rubio played a “vocal role” in marshaling congressional support for deeper security cooperation with Taiwan, and they quote Hegseth’s earlier declaration that the United States “will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated” and that “the threat China poses is real.”
“Individually, instances of delayed or denied assistance test the strength of a security relationship you have described as essential,” the senators wrote. “Together, despite your personal assurances earlier this year that Taiwan is not on the table in talks between President Trump and President Xi, they leave us with serious concerns about the strength of U.S. commitments to key partners and allies in Asia and across the globe.”
The letter arrives ahead of a two-day summit in Washington between Trump, Xi, and senior U.S. and Chinese officials. The timing is significant, as the administration has sought to manage a complex bilateral relationship while also reassuring allies of its commitments. The senators’ move reflects growing bipartisan unease over the president’s transactional approach to Taiwan, which some see as undermining decades of U.S. policy.
McConnell’s return to the Senate this month after a health-related absence adds weight to the message, given his senior position on defense appropriations. The letter demands written explanations from both Rubio and Hegseth for the delays, and urges immediate action to release the funds.
The development comes as lawmakers press Trump to raise human rights issues with Xi, and as other senators have sharply criticized Xi ahead of the summit. The Republican pressure on Taiwan funding is likely to complicate the administration’s efforts to present a unified front in negotiations.
