Beltway Confidential

Before Trump, U.S. sold Taiwan more than $30 billion in weapons

By Philip Wegmann
Published December 5, 2016 7:03pm ET
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Before Trump, U.S. sold Taiwan more than $30 billion in weapons
Two U.S.-made F16 jet fighters. Though the U.S. officially turned a cold shoulder to Taiwan in 1979, America has helped outfit the armory with everything from machine guns to F16 Fighting Falcons.(AP Photo/Jerome Favre) | JEROME FAVRE

American presidents have been shipping boatloads of weapons to Taiwan since the Carter administration. Donald Trump is just the first to pick up the phone.

A Friday afternoon conversation between the incoming executive and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen immediately sparked international controversy. It also subsequently shattered 37 years of American cognitive diplomatic dissidence.

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Barack Obama Biden Transition Commentary Donald Trump Minusextra Philip Wegmann Taiwan United States