Voice of the White House
July 1, 2017

Washington, D.C.: During his campaign for the presidency, Trump stated that he planned to bring American business back to the United States from China. At one point, the President of Taiwan planned to meet with him. Naturally, the PRC objected to this violation of their 'One China' thesis and the PRC president met with Trump after he was elected. Trump, in public, agreed with the 'One China' policy and announced that he would not receive the President of Taiwan. These matters appeared to have been settled but then suddenly, and without any apparent provocation, Trump's people announced that the US was going to sell Taiwan $1.42 billion in arms. Naturally, Beijing was astonished and infuriated at this about face. Is there a reason for this blatant violation of an agreement? There does not appear to be much of any kind of a reason for many of Trump's actions.