A top adviser to former US President Donald Trump has stressed the importance of Taiwan boosting its defence budget amid potential threats from China. Robert O’Brien, Trump’s final national security adviser, highlighted the need for Taiwan to enhance its military expenditure during a Bloomberg Roundtable at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Trump’s Views on Taiwan Defence Spending
In a June 25 interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Trump suggested that Taiwan should financially compensate the United States for its defence support. “I know the people very well, respect them greatly. They did take about 100% of our chip business. I think Taiwan should pay us for defence,” Trump said.
O’Brien clarified Trump’s remarks, suggesting that Trump likely meant Taiwan should increase its own defence spending. “They’ve got to ramp up their spending to contend with the PRC and CCP, and we can help them, we can be part of that. But I think what President Trump is saying is … we’ve got to have burden sharing,” O’Brien told reporters, referring to the People’s Republic of China and the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
Need for Increased Defence Budget
O’Brien recommended that Taiwan consider spending at least 5% of its GDP on defence to match China’s growing military capabilities, although he noted this was a rough estimate. While O’Brien is not directly part of Trump’s campaign, he remains in close contact with the former president on national security issues.
Washington aims to create a military counterbalance to Chinese forces through initiatives like “Fortress Taiwan.” Taiwan typically purchases weapons from the U.S. rather than relying on aid. The United States and its allies maintain significant military assets in the region to deter Chinese aggression against Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.
Taiwan’s Current Defence Spending
Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Washington emphasised the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, noting the island’s efforts to strengthen its deterrence capabilities with U.S. support under the Taiwan Relations Act. Taiwan has increased its defence budget from 2% of GDP in 2017 to 2.5% in 2023, reaching approximately $19.1 billion for 2024. Despite these increases, Taiwan’s defence spending remains significantly lower than China’s, which unveiled a $230 billion defence budget for 2023, a 7.2% increase from the previous year.
Political Reactions
Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Democratic ranking member of the U.S. House of Representatives’ bipartisan select committee on China, criticised Trump’s comments, calling them a betrayal. “Failing to provide for Taiwan’s defence would not only be potentially illegal under the Taiwan Relations Act, it would be a betrayal of American values and our democratic institutions,” he said.
During Trump’s administration, the U.S. agreed to sell billions of dollars worth of weaponry to Taiwan. However, Taipei has complained about delays in weapon deliveries, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.
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With Inputs from Reuters
