US pausing $14bn arms sale to Taiwan due to Iran war, navy chief says

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Washington DC: US Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao has confirmed that Washington is temporarily pausing its historic $14 billion weapons package to Taiwan in order to safeguard domestic ammunition stockpiles for its ongoing military campaign against Iran.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on Thursday, Cao stated that the strategic freeze is necessary to preserve vital assets for ‘Operation Epic Fury.’

While asserting that the military currently holds plenty of munitions, he explained that transfers will remain frozen until defense leaders evaluate long-term theater requirements. 

The eventual resumption of the sale which represents the largest-ever proposed weapons transfer to Taipei rests upon subsequent approvals from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The revelation closely follows mixed messaging from President Donald Trump, who recently suggested utilizing the package as a diplomatic negotiating chip during a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

Security analysts warn that halting the congressional-approved deal over concurrent geopolitical pressures may deeply aggravate strategic anxieties regarding the reliability of American defense umbrellas across East Asia.