President Donald Trump said he is not looking to “travel 9,500 miles to fight a war” over Taiwan, suggesting during a trip to China there are limits to U.S. support for the long-contested Asian island.
Trump made the comments during a Friday interview with Bret Baier, saying both China and Taiwan should “cool down” the tensions that have risen over the island. The remarks come as Beijing has continued to signal its ambitions for Taiwan, claiming the self-governing democratic island power is part of Communist China’s territory.
NOW – Trump on China and Taiwan: “I’m not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war? I’m not looking for that.” pic.twitter.com/PoWHnRjx3C
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) May 15, 2026
Washington has steadily avoided recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation while maintaining unofficial ties with Taipei and providing defense support to the island, a balance which Trump appeared to dismiss during the interview.
When Baier asked whether U.S. policy toward Taiwan had changed, Trump said it had not, but warned against the island moving toward formal independence while expecting the backing of the U.S. military.
“No, nothing changed,” Trump said. “I will say this: I’m not looking to have somebody go independent and, you know, we’re supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I’m not looking for that.”
Trump’s argument comes after the U.S. took military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran, though a ceasefire is currently in place. Taiwan sits roughly 7,900 miles from the District of Columbia, while Tehran is about 6,300 miles away.
President Xi stressed to President Trump that the Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations. If it is handled properly, the bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting… pic.twitter.com/gqji6lEfL7
— Mao Ning 毛宁 (@SpoxCHN_MaoNing) May 14, 2026
Trump also declined to commit to approving billions of dollars in weapons for Taiwan when Baier asked whether the arms package was moving forward.
“Well, I haven’t approved it yet,” Trump said. “We’re gonna see what happens.”
When Baier pressed Trump on what his “hinge point” would be, Trump declined to say.
“I may do it. I may not do it,” Trump said. “But we’re not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China is going to be okay with that.”
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comments.
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