Trump Hints at Historic Taiwan Talks as US Weighs New Arms Sales Amid Xi’s Stark Warning

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to speak directly with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te as his administration weighs a proposed $14 billion arms package for Taiwan, a move that could dramatically escalate tensions with China.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before boarding Air Force One, Trump suggested direct communication with Taiwan’s leader was likely as discussions over the stalled weapons package continue. If the call takes place, it would mark the first direct communication between a sitting US president and a Taiwanese leader since Washington shifted formal diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

“I’ll speak to him, I will speak to everybody. We have that situation well in hand,” Trump said to reporters.

Xi Warned Trump of ‘Clashes and Conflict’

Trump’s comments came just days after his high-stakes summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where Taiwan reportedly became one of the most contentious issues discussed.

According to multiple reports, Xi warned Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could push the two countries toward direct confrontation.

“Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts,” Xi reportedly told Trump during the Beijing talks.

The warning is being viewed by analysts as one of Beijing’s sharpest messages to a sitting American president on Taiwan in years.

China’s ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as part of its territory despite never having governed the island and has repeatedly threatened reunification by force if necessary.

$14 Billion Taiwan Arms Package Remains in Limbo

At the center of the tensions is a proposed $14 billion US arms package for Taiwan that includes Patriot missile interceptors, NASAMS air defense systems, drones, artillery platforms, and military software.

Trump has not yet formally approved the package and recently described it as a potential “negotiating chip” in broader US-China talks, triggering concern among lawmakers and officials in Taiwan.

“I haven’t decided,” Trump said last week after returning from Beijing, adding that he wanted both China and Taiwan to “cool down” rhetoric surrounding the issue.

The uncertainty has raised fears in Taipei that support for Taiwan could become entangled in wider geopolitical negotiations between Washington and Beijing.

Taipei’s Response

Washington has maintained unofficial relations with Taipei, and is bound by law to provide the country with defensive weapons under the Taiwan Relations Act. This is further reinforced by a 1982 US assurance to Taiwan that says Washington does not have a policy of consulting with Beijing on arms sales.

Taiwan President Lai, who has completed two years in office as of 2026, told CNN that communication channels between Taipei and Washington “were always open” and that if an opportunity to speak directly to Trump showed itself, he would say that his administration is maintaining the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

“We hope these military efforts can continue”, Lai added.

Taiwan’s Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said to Taipei Times that “it is an undeniable fact that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent democratic nation.” She further added that Beijing has no right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan.

China Pressures US Over Pentagon Visit

The Taiwan dispute is now beginning to affect broader US-China military diplomacy.

According to Reuters and the Financial Times, Beijing has delayed approval for a planned visit to China by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby until Trump decides whether to proceed with the Taiwan arms package.

Colby’s proposed trip would have marked the first visit to China by a senior Pentagon official in nearly eight years.

Beijing has long opposed US arms sales and official contacts with Taiwan, accusing Washington of violating the “One China” framework whenever ties with Taipei deepen.

Trump’s latest comments now threaten to further inflame one of the most sensitive flashpoints in US-China relations.