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source_url: https://www.semafor.com/article/02/17/2026/trump-suggests-he-is-talking-to-xi-about-taiwan-arms-sale
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US President Donald Trump suggested Monday he was [discussing future Taiwan weapons sales](https://x.com/Acyn/status/2023568738499592384?s=20) with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which would signal a stunning reversal of decadeslong US policy.
Previous administrations, including Trump’s, have [refused to consult with Beijing](https://x.com/ryanl_hass/status/2023753106291568992?s=20) ahead of arms sales to Taiwan, leading [analysts to seek clarity](https://x.com/lnachman32/status/2023746324764807295?s=20) on [Trump’s ambiguous statement](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-17/trump-says-he-ll-soon-make-decision-on-weapon-sales-to-taiwan).
From Beijing’s perspective, trends in Taiwan are moving in a positive direction, and while US lawmakers warned Taipei that the threat from China “[has never been greater](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-lawmakers-step-up-pressure-taiwan-parliament-approve-defence-spending-2026-02-13/),” some experts think Xi is [satisfied with mere momentum](https://www.chinatalk.media/p/xis-military-meltdown) toward his goal of Taiwan “reunification.”
Meanwhile, the US is beefing up its regional military presence, deploying more advanced [missile systems in the Philippines](https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/u-s-plans-to-deploy-more-missile-systems-in-the-philippines-challenging-china-d0f42427?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfRY11dScnwLT2ATxkm4yTUataF0PHTFmz54OxFxJC2Db_mmCz-TyDt&gaa_ts=6994afb6&gaa_sig=Kq59kV0i2RGpjD0cMiflilNhdJXFdyD2b_PDH0MkyVbfbO4ITRt4dMJfcg7Qo7JUAdMw4ZA7-oB8iaAfuCNftw%3D%3D) to deter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.