US arms sales to Taiwan unrelated to Iran war, source says

Published May 23, 2026 Updated May 23, 2026 09:19am

US arms sales to Taiwan take years to process and are unrelated to the war with Iran, a source familiar with the matter said, after a senior US official suggested there was a pause due to the need to have enough arms for the conflict, according to Reuters.

Taiwan has been waiting for the US to approve an arms sale that could be worth up to $14 billion.

The source familiar with the matter noted that President Donald Trump has said he would decide on the Taiwan arms sales soon.

“These sales take years to process and are unrelated to Operation Epic Fury,” the source said, referring to the war the US and Israel launched in February.

“The United States Military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump’s strategic goals and beyond.”

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