Social media is abuzz with anger and concern following former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks, in which he suggested that the United States should refrain from aiding Taiwan if it were to face an invasion from China.
During an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo,” Donald Trump, the leading favorite for the GOP nomination for president, was asked about protecting Taiwan from Chinese aggression in a hypothetical second Trump presidency. While he did not provide a definite answer, Trump did express dissatisfaction with Taiwan for reportedly taking semiconductor business away from the United States. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, although it has never controlled the self-ruled island during its seven decades in power in Beijing.
“Taiwan has indeed taken all of our chip business,” Trump exclaimed. “We used to manufacture all of our own chips, but now they are being produced in Taiwan, accounting for 90 percent of our chip supply. It’s important to remember that Taiwan smartly and brilliantly managed to capture our business.”
Trump’s office was contacted by Newsweek via email to obtain a comment.
On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, many users interpreted Trump’s remarks as suggesting that he would not offer assistance to Taiwan as president. This sparked a wave of heated reactions. Some users expressed skepticism about his statements regarding Taiwan’s chip business, while others accused him of hypocrisy due to his usual stance on China. Trump has often opposed China’s global economic and political influence, and claiming that he has stood up to the nation has been a key talking point for him.
According to policy expert Ed Tarnowski, President Trump’s accusations against his opponents for being weak on China are contradicted by his actions. Tarnowski asserts that Trump essentially gives China permission to invade Taiwan without fearing any retaliation from the United States if he is re-elected. Tarnowski criticizes this approach, stating that it is not a serious and well-thought-out policy.
Heath Mayo, a conservative lawyer and founder of the anti-Trump nonprofit Principles First, expressed his strong disapproval, calling it “absolute idiocy.” Mayo believes that if Trump were to be elected, Taiwan would be at risk, and a significant portion of our semiconductor capacity would be lost. Mayo not only believes that Trump is unfit for the office, but also believes that he is fundamentally mistaken about numerous issues, including this one.
According to Jordan Schneider, the creator of the China Talk newsletter and podcast, it should come as no surprise that Biden is more dedicated to Taiwan than Trump.
“Taipei, be cautious. Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program for the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., made it clear that Taiwan did not steal the US chip business,” she wrote.
During a September interview with NBC News, Trump expressed his stance on the issue, stating that he would not disclose his position. However, he did mention that the possibility of sending U.S. troops to Taiwan was not completely dismissed.
President Joe Biden has recently made it clear that the United States does not endorse Taiwan’s independence. However, he has also called on China to refrain from meddling in Taiwan’s affairs, particularly its recent elections. Furthermore, Biden has previously committed to providing support to Taiwan in the event of an invasion by China. It is worth noting that some members of his own party have expressed contrary sentiments. In fact, a cohort of 22 Republican senators had urged Biden back in November to remain steadfast in his support for Taiwan while meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is dedicated to questioning accepted beliefs and uncovering links in the quest for shared understanding.
At Newsweek, we are dedicated to questioning established beliefs and uncovering meaningful connections, all in the pursuit of fostering mutual understanding.
