Army Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to have dismissed comments from a top aide who connected the halt of extensive arms deliveries to Taiwan with the ongoing conflict in Iran.
During a statement on Saturday, Hegseth mentioned that the arms stockpile is in “very good” shape, implying that the ongoing war hasn’t triggered delays in the scheduled $14 billion arms sales to Taiwan. His remarks appeared to be at odds with those made by Acting Navy Secretary Hung Kao, who indicated that the sales were paused to ensure the U.S. had enough weapons for the military operations in the Middle East.
“Hung Kao is great, but I wouldn’t link those two issues,” Hegseth remarked, referring to the arms shipments and the war. He added, “We are not only content with our current situation but optimistic about future production rates.”
He emphasized, “Our capability to ramp up production if needed means we are well-prepared. Our stockpile is well-suited for home and global needs due to our balanced munitions.” Future decisions on arms sales to Taiwan, he noted, would ultimately rest with President Trump because of their close relationship.
In response to inquiries, a Department of the Army spokesperson indicated there wasn’t anything further to add beyond Hegseth’s statements, while the Navy did not provide a comment.
In a recent session with allied delegations, Hegseth addressed questions regarding Taiwan’s arms sales, clarifying that the U.S. had halted shipments in light of the Iran conflict. He assured that the military was taking precautions to ensure it had the necessary weapons for their operations.
Senator Mitch McConnell questioned whether the anticipated $14 billion sale would eventually be approved, to which Kao replied that such decisions would lie with Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. McConnell expressed disappointment that key decisions rested in their hands.
Just days earlier, President Trump commented that the Taiwan package was meant to serve as a “bargaining chip” with China during an interview after his visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Failure to lift the arms sales moratorium could conflict with the Carter-era Taiwan Relations Act, which mandates that the U.S. provide adequate defense for Taiwan. While the U.S. does not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent state, it maintains the “one China” policy, recognizing the People’s Republic of China.
Kao recently stepped into the role of acting undersecretary of the Navy after replacing John Phelan, who was dismissed earlier.
On the same Saturday, Hegseth delivered a 25-minute speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, outlining the Department of Defense’s vision for defense in Asia, notably omitting any mention of Taiwan. He highlighted the growing military activities by China and the need for allies to enhance their defense capabilities to avoid relying solely on U.S. military power.
Hegseth remarked, “For too long, security in the region has been overly dependent on U.S. might, while our allies’ capabilities have flagged. This isn’t sustainable and is not fair for American taxpayers or our partners. We must all contribute towards peace and stability.”
