During Donald Trump’s time in office, Washington adopted one of its boldest policies toward Taiwan in recent memory, tying the island’s fate directly to the wider contest with Beijing. On the military side, his administration greenlit multi-billion-dollar weapons deals for Taipei, covering upgraded F-16 fighters, long-range strike missiles, and coastal defense systems aimed at bolstering Taiwan’s “asymmetric” defense strategy—tools intended to raise the cost of any potential Chinese invasion. U.S. Navy vessels also stepped up transits through the Taiwan Strait, underscoring America’s commitment to freedom of navigation and openly challenging Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims.
Diplomatically, Trump advanced measures that broke with past restraint. He signed the Taiwan Travel Act in 2018, legitimizing high-level visits between American and Taiwanese officials, something earlier administrations tried to avoid. In 2020, he endorsed the TAIPEI Act, which encouraged other governments and international organizations to maintain or expand relations with Taipei, serving as a counter to China’s diplomatic pressure campaign. These moves boosted Taiwan’s international presence but also drew sharp rebukes from Beijing.
Adding to the friction, Trump sometimes cast doubt on the long-standing One China policy, which acknowledges Beijing as the sole legal government while keeping unofficial ties with Taiwan. Although he eventually reaffirmed the policy, his initial wavering alarmed Chinese officials and injected new uncertainty into the U.S.–China relationship.
The net result of these policies was a noticeable strengthening of U.S.–Taiwan relations and renewed confidence in American backing on the island. Yet this came at the cost of heightened cross-strait tensions, as Beijing escalated military drills and sorties around Taiwan to demonstrate its displeasure. For Taipei, Trump’s approach provided both reassurance—through enhanced defense and diplomatic recognition—and new dangers, since it risked provoking stronger retaliation from China.
