Trump is back from Beijing. He brought home a lot of headlines and almost no answer on a question Washington has been waiting on for months: will the U.S. send Taiwan $14 billion in weapons?
On Air Force One on Friday, the president told reporters: "On Taiwan, he feels very strongly, I made no commitment either way." The "he" was Xi.
On the arms deal, Trump said he would decide "over the next fairly short period of time."
When asked if he would defend Taiwan with U.S. forces, Trump refused to answer. He said: "I'm not going to say that. There's only one person that knows that and you know who it is? Me."
That is not the clarity Taipei was hoping for.
Trump did say he was asked that same question by Xi. He said he gave Xi the same non-answer.
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The $14 billion weapons package has been stuck inside the State Department for months. Lawmakers from both parties want it to move.
China wants the opposite. Chinese readouts of the Trump-Xi meeting say Xi warned Trump on the issue.
He said the "entire relationship" between the two countries would be at risk if the "Taiwan question" is not handled well. He called Taiwan "the most important issue in China-U.S. relations."
That puts Trump in a tight spot. Moving on the sale could blow up the deal he just spent a week trying to steady.
Slow-walking it lets down a group of lawmakers in Congress. It also lets down Taipei.
The U.S. has long taken a tricky stance on Taiwan. It does not back Beijing's claim on the island. But it also does not back Taiwan as its own country.
The arms deal has been on the table since last year. Lawmakers have pushed for months to send it forward. Each delay raises doubts in Asia about how far the U.S. will go to back the island.
This is also why traders are watching. A clear yes could rattle China. A clear no could rattle Taipei. A long pause keeps both sides tense.
Trump held back on Taiwan while he was in China. The comments came after he left.
Chinese officials said they pressed Trump hard on Taiwan during the visit. Their line: taking sides would damage relations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed. "We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics," he said.
That is the careful both-and Washington has held for decades.
Markets and Taipei both want a clear answer. Trump is not giving one yet.
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