Source: Antiwar.com
by Ted Galen Carpenter
“At first glance, Washington’s informal but very real commitment to defend Taiwan and preserve its de facto independence seems quite secure. Over the past decade, Taipei’s security relationship with the United States grew steadily closer – with strong bipartisan approval in the United States. Not only was that development apparent during Donald Trump’s first administration, but also, to the surprise of many experts on East Asian affairs, the trend persisted throughout Joe Biden’s presidency. The prevailing assumption was that Trump’s return to the White House would be very good news for hardliners in Taiwan who want to push the envelope on independence. … However, Trump’s early statements indicated that Washington’s support for Taiwan’s security was far from unconditional.” (07/15/25)