A group of four Republican senators led by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is urging Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to free up billions of dollars in stalled national security assistance for Taiwan, pointing both Cabinet officials back to their own past statements in defense of the island’s sovereignty.
In a letter dated Wednesday, the senators highlighted three sticking points: the State Department’s intention not to obligate $300 million in foreign military financing, the Defense Department’s failure to obligate $1 billion in funding for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, and the administration’s decision to withhold $14 billion in foreign military sales to Taiwan.
The Republican lawmakers also raised alarm over President Trump’s description of Taiwan as “a very good negotiating chip” in his dealings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party.
“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.
The lawmakers drew a direct comparison to the fallout from former President Biden’s decision to withhold military assistance to Ukraine ahead of a 2021 summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“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,” they added.
Joining McConnell on the letter were Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
McConnell, who spearheaded the effort, chairs the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. The Kentucky Republican returned to the Senate this month following a lengthy health-related absence.
In the letter, the senators pressed Rubio to explain why the State Department has not obligated the $300 million in appropriated funding for Taiwan. They likewise called on Hegseth to account for why the Pentagon has not obligated the $1 billion set aside for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative.
The senators did not shy away from reminding both men of their track records.
To Rubio, they noted that he had previously played a “vocal role” in “marshalling congressional support for deeper and more unflinching security cooperations with Taiwan.”
To Hegseth, they pointed to his earlier declaration that the United States “will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated,” as well as his warning that “the threat China poses is real.”
The timing of the letter is significant. The senators sent it to Rubio and Hegseth ahead of a two-day summit in Washington bringing together Trump, Xi and senior U.S. and Chinese officials.
The push puts four prominent Republicans on record questioning the administration’s handling of military support for a key Indo-Pacific partner at a pivotal moment in U.S.-China relations. With billions in aid and arms sales hanging in the balance, the senators are signaling that they want answers from the administration’s top defense and diplomatic officials before the high-stakes talks with Beijing get underway.
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