Overview
- Returning from talks with Xi in China, President Trump told reporters he would not say whether he would defend Taiwan if it were attacked.
- He said he will decide soon on a proposed U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, leaving a concrete policy step unresolved.
- A Chinese government readout warned Washington against supporting Taiwan, saying independence and cross-strait peace are "as irreconcilable as fire and water."
- After saying he has not read a full briefing, House Speaker Mike Johnson deferred comment, a posture several outlets described as avoidance.
- Johnson reiterated that the U.S. wants Taiwan secure because of its chip industry, citing longstanding commitments under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act.