U.S. Sends $11 Billion Weapons Package to Taiwan

Thursday, December 18, 2025

The Trump administration announced an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan on Wednesday, marking the largest-ever U.S. weapons package for the island as it faces increasing military pressure from China

Posted by sentinel at 11:31 PM | 14 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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The United States has approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest-ever U.S. weapons package for the island that is under increasing military pressure from China.

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-- The Japan Times (@japantimes.co.jp) Dec 18, 2025 at 2:48 AM

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Reminder to the illiterate media: Taiwan is officially called the Republic of China.

Also, the 'X' and 'ZH' letters in pinyin do not sound the way many journalists pronounce them.

#1 | Posted by sentinel at 2025-12-18 01:35 PM | Reply

So silly.

Literally nothing we're willing to do will stop China from invading Taiwan and winning. We don't have the stomach for that fight. And Chinese sabotage would bring our country to a standstill even if we did.

If Taiwan actually cares about avoiding China's yoke they need to develop, deploy, and be ready to use hundreds of nuclear weapons. Including second strike capability.

If they don't care about defending their own freedom, why should we? Under Trump, we abandon allies we've had for a century, even the White ones. Taiwan clearly can't rely upon us.

#2 | Posted by censored at 2025-12-18 07:01 PM | Reply

@#2 ... We don't have the stomach for that fight. And Chinese sabotage would bring our country to a standstill even if we did. ...

imo, an excellent summary of the situation.

#3 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 12:02 AM | Reply

The Spice Must Flow!

#4 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-19 12:03 AM | Reply

@#3

Stated differently ...

Pres Trump's apparent acquiescence to Herr Meister Pres Putin's unprovoked invasion of a sovereign Ukraine is doing little, if anything, to dissuade China from invading Taiwan.

#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 12:07 AM | Reply

This amount of money, $11B, is apparently the largest weapons package ever to Taiwan.
So that's probably significant.
Meanwhile, Republicans spend $75B on ICE in the Big Beautiful Bill.

Why is getting rid of immigrants worth five times what we're spending on protecting Taiwan from China?
Can a Republican explain how these priorities benefit America?

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-12-19 12:09 AM | Reply

This amount of money, $11B, is apparently the largest weapons package ever to Taiwan.

It's a fair bit of cash. It's almost 28% of what it cost to bail out Argentina's failed economy.

#7 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-12-19 12:15 AM | Reply

The United Nations made a huge mistake and blew their credibility when they booted one of its founding members and rewrote their founding document to change its name from Republic of China to just "China". It was like if they recognized the DPRK as "Korea" and no longer recognized the Republic of Korea (which everyone in the west knows as South Korea).

#8 | Posted by sentinel at 2025-12-19 12:18 AM | Reply

@#7 ... It's a fair bit of cash. ...

Is it?

The comparison presented in #6 seems to paint a different picture.

A picture of $75B spent to suppress Democracy vs $11B to enable Democracy.

#9 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 12:19 AM | Reply

This amount of money, $11B, is apparently the largest weapons package ever to Taiwan.

It's a fair bit of cash.

Not if you're a Somali fraudster.
minnesotareformer.com

#10 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-12-19 12:33 AM | Reply

Why is getting rid of immigrants worth five times what we're spending on protecting Taiwan from China?

Because they cost more?

#11 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-12-19 12:34 AM | Reply

@#7 ... It's a fair bit of cash. It's almost 28% of what it cost to bail out Argentina's failed economy. ...

Good point.

But that bailout of Argentina seems to have benefits for the billionaire(s) in the Trump Cabinet.

Scott Bessent's $20 billion dollar gamble on Argentina (November 2025)
www.npr.org

#12 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 12:54 AM | Reply

Field Report - Home (Leave the Lights On) (2014)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
[Verse 1]
Cold snap like a coiled spring
You can feel the frost coming on
We are Marigolden, dropping orange and umber
And barely holding on, just barely holding on
And now the downtown's dolled up with tinsel and angels
Seasons sneak like hair cuts teased apart and tangled
We were praying for awhile and we took it all down
Like garland and the traffic signals

[Chorus]
Leave the lights on
Cause it might be nighttime when I get there
When I'm on my way home
Leave the the lights on
Cause it might be nighttime when I get there
And I'm on my way home
...

Reminds me of my travels to home for the holidays.

#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 12:59 AM | Reply

@#13

Interesting, but probably a "who cares" tidbit...

The band's name, Field Report, is an anagram of the name of the major person of the band, Mr Porterfield.

#14 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-12-19 01:02 AM | Reply