Trump Says He Would Be ‘Very Unhappy’ if Xi Moves on Taiwan After Venezuela Raid

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump has said the future of Taiwan is ultimately “up to” Chinese President Xi Jinping, while stressing that he hopes Beijing will not use force against the self-governed island.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, seeking to separate the Taiwan issue from Washington’s recent military action in Venezuela.

Trump said he would be “very unhappy” if Xi chose to seize Taiwan through military means, but dismissed claims that the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro could set a precedent for China to act against Taiwan.

“He considers it to be a part of China, and that’s up to him what he’s going to be doing,” Trump said, referring to Xi. “But I’ve expressed to him that I would be very unhappy if he did that, and I don’t think he’ll do that. I hope he doesn’t do that.”

The president argued that the two situations were not comparable, saying Taiwan does not pose the kind of threat to China that he has claimed Maduro’s government posed to the United States.

Trump also repeated his belief that Xi would not move against Taiwan while he remains in office, which runs until early 2029.

“He may do it after we have a different president but I don’t think he’s going to do it with me as president,” Trump told the newspaper.

Trump’s comments came amid heightened tensions in the region, following Chinese military exercises around Taiwan last month that analysts said blurred the line between routine drills and preparations for a possible attack.

The remarks also followed a warning from Beijing, which threatened to deliver a “head-on blow” against Taiwan after criticizing the US operation in Venezuela.

Geopolitical analysts have warned that the American attack could harden Beijing’s stance on Taiwan and be used to justify military action.

The issue has fueled debate on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo, where some users openly called for applying similar tactics to Taiwan, while others questioned Washington’s interpretation of international law.

The United States, while lacking formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, is legally required to help the island maintain its ability to defend itself. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, Washington is not obligated to intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese invasion, but it is committed to ensuring Taiwan has the means to defend itself.

Last month, the Trump administration approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest weapons package ever offered to the island. A US strategy document published last year said the administration aims to prevent conflict over Taiwan and the South China Sea by strengthening American military power and that of its allies.

Trump has continued to avoid explicitly stating how the United States would respond to a direct escalation over Taiwan, in line with the long-standing US policy of strategic ambiguity.