After Trump–Xi Call, US Reaffirms Taiwan Commitment as Arms Sales Remain a Flashpoint

After Trump spoke with Xi, the White House and State Department reiterated long-standing Taiwan commitments, even as new funding and arms deals irk Beijing.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te gives a speech after inspecting reservists at Loung Te Industrial Parks Service Center, in Yilan, Taiwan, on Dec. 2, 2025. I-Hwa Cheng / AFP via Getty Images

A Feb. 4 phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping has renewed concern in Taiwan that cross-strait issues could become a bargaining chip as Washington and Beijing negotiate on trade and security.

In the days that followed, U.S. and Taiwanese officials emphasized that policies have not changed. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told The Epoch Times on Feb. 8 that the administration’s commitment to Taiwan remains unchanged and urged Beijing to stop pressuring the island.