U.S. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao ​told a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing that a pending $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan would be paused to ensure sufficient air defense munitions for the Iran war, Reuters reported May 22. Cao added that arms sales to Taiwan will continue when the administration of President Donald Trump "deems [it] necessary," and that the decision will be up to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

During his May 14-15 visit to Beijing to meet with Xi, Trump discussed arms sales to Taiwan, telling Fox News after the visit that such sales were a "very good negotiating chip" amid trade talks with China.