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Trump’s Taiwan independence comments: a blow to William Lai and ruling DPP?
Critics in Taiwan argue the island’s leader and his Democratic Progressive Party are rolling back decades of rhetoric under US pressure
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Lawrence Chungin TaipeiPublished: 9:00pm, 18 May 2026Updated: 9:21pm, 18 May 2026
Donald Trump’s comment that he is “not looking to have somebody go independent” has sparked debate in Taiwan over whether it undermines the ruling party’s pro-independence platform.
Trump made the remark after last week’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, where Taiwan emerged as one of the most sensitive issues in Sino-US relations.
“I’m not looking to have somebody go independent,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News aired on Friday, adding that the United States was “9,500 miles” (about 15,300km) away from Taiwan and that he was “not looking” to fight a war.
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His comments came shortly after Xi warned that the Taiwan issue could become the source of future “clashes and even conflicts” with Washington, according to the readout from Beijing following Thursday’s summit.
01:56‘A milestone visit’: Xi and Trump set sights on stability for China-US relationsTrump also left open whether he would approve a long-delayed US$14 billion US arms package for Taiwan. Although US lawmakers pre-approved the package last year, the White House has yet to move it forward.AdvertisementAdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed00:0000:001.00x