Anduril Founder Urges Taiwan to Build Own Arms Industry

Palmer Luckey, Anduril founder, told a Taipei forum on September 19, 2026 that Taiwan's domestic demand cannot sustain the industrial base for unstoppable deterrence and that it must build for export so partners see Designed in Taiwan, Made in Taiwan on reliable scaled weapons. Anduril, valued at $61 billion in May, delivered first weapons to Taiwan last year; its Altius drone is used by Taiwan's air force and Barracuda-500 missile was jointly made and unveiled last year. Lai Ching-te shook hands with Luckey at the forum start. China sanctioned Luckey in December as a highly dangerous terrorist; he said he wears it as a badge of honor. Luckey told reporters a pending $14 billion arms package is affecting Anduril's Taiwan business and blocking other progress while stuck. He discussed it with Trump, JD Vance and Marco Rubio. Trump held it in abeyance after a May Xi Jinping summit as a very good negotiating chip. Luckey said Trump weighs briefings on American consumer impact from China's rare-earth leverage and is in a really difficult situation. Xi meets Trump in Washington next week; the package status is unresolved.