Acting Secretary Of US Navy Hung Cao Affirms Prioritising Arms For Iran War Stalling Taiwan Orders.

Washington DC; May 2026: Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao said yesterday (Thursday – 21st May 2026; IST late night) that United States has paused the $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan in a bid to prioritise Donald Trump administration’s war with Iran. Speaking during a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing, Cao insisted the U.S. still had plenty of missiles and interceptors, even as scrutiny grows over America’s dwindling munitions stockpiles.

Earlier on Sunday, 17th May, the Alexander Yui, Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., said Taiwan encourages the Trump administration to deliver on future arms sales after President Trump said he would hold off on a $14 billion arms sale to create leverage in talks with China. Beijing has never formally recognised Taiwan’s sovereignty, and Taiwan has long argued that it needs U.S. arms to maintain its independence.

“President Trump has also been very clear in saying that he did not agree on anything”, Yui has said during a Sunday press meet while referring to talks with China. “So, again, the United States government has been consistent throughout all administrations since 1979 in providing arms to Taiwan, according to a Taiwan Relations Act, which is selling ours commensurate to the threat that Taiwan receives”. Yui touted Trump’s decision in his first term to make a considerable amount of sales to Taiwan, including the F-16 Block 70s.

Yui further said that in his second administration last year, Trump has made two sales to Taiwan. Also, again, the last one also very considerable amount of money on arms sales. “So, we believe again that having arms sales continue to Taiwan is in the interest of the United States and Taiwan, to keep peaceful and stable Taiwan Straits”, he added.

The U.S. has long observed the Six Assurances, a set of six nonbinding U.S. policy principles implemented in 1982 during the Reagan administration. The second assurance holds that the U.S. will not consult China on arms sales to Taiwan. On Sunday, Yui said the Six Assurances were not violated during the president’s talks about the country with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Meanwhile, yesterday acting US Naval Secretary Cao said, “Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury — which we have plenty”, while speaking to Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican-Kentucky). “We’re just making sure we have everything, but then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary”.

Asked by McConnell if he expects the sale to be approved at some point, Cao said that it would be up to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “Yeah, that’s what’s really distressing”, McConnell replied.

Cao’s remarks appear to contradict President Trump’s stated reason for the pause; last week he indicated he may hold off on the arms sale to Taiwan as a negotiating chip with China. “I haven’t approved it yet. We’re going to see what happens”, Trump told news reporters. “I may do it; I may not do it”.

Speaking to reporters after a trip to China, Trump said the topic was discussed with Chinese President Xi Jinping in great detail before saying he will “make a determination over the next fairly short period.”

Cao’s comments also come as concerns grow over the state of U.S. stockpiles. The United States has reportedly burned through thousands of missiles since the Iran war began on February 28th, using nearly all of the long-range stealth cruise missiles left in US’s stockpile and depleting its stores of Tomahawks, Patriot interceptor missiles, Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles.

The White House is planning to ask Congress for a reported $80 billion to $100 billion supplemental for the war in Iran, with a significant chunk meant to backfill costly and sophisticated weapons expended in the now 12-week conflict, which since early April has settled into a tense ceasefire. Earlier, Pete Hegseth has dismissed concerns of strained stockpiles, accusing the press and lawmakers of overblowing the issue. “First of all, the munitions issue has been foolishly and unhelpfully overstated”, Hegseth told House appropriators last week. “We know exactly what we have. We have plenty of what we need”.

Team Maverick.