It’s Time to Stop Doubting US Stance on Taiwan Amid CCP’s Cognitive Warfare

A S-70C helicopter is seen on board the Taiwanese navy frigate ROCS Cheng Kung during an open day event for the public at the Keelung port in Taiwan on March 17, 2025. I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

The cognitive warfare waged against Taiwan by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) revolves around one central narrative: the “America Skepticism” theory.

The CCP uses the America Skepticism theory to undermine trust in U.S. commitments to Taiwan by portraying Washington as an unreliable ally that may abandon the island nation in the event of a crisis.

Recently, due to fundamental challenges surrounding President Donald Trump’s stance on the Russia–Ukraine war and some of his key personnel appointments, the America skepticism theory narrative has been heavily hyped. This became so apparent that on March 12, Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, gave an exclusive interview to Taiwan’s SET News to refute it.

Greene made the following points:

• Trump is committed to global peace and hopes to end the Russia–Ukraine war as soon as possible. In the Indo–Pacific region, the president aims to enhance deterrence to prevent conflicts from happening.
• There is no reason to doubt the U.S. commitment to Taiwan and the Indo–Pacific. U.S. policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, and Washington opposes unilateral actions that would alter the status quo.
• Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States doesn’t want to see a conflict erupt across the Taiwan Strait and believes war will not happen. If war were to break out in the strait, it would result in a global GDP loss of more than 10 percent, with consequences even more severe than those of World War II.

During Trump’s first term in office, U.S. support for Taiwan was the strongest since President Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972. For example, Trump approved 11 arms sales to Taiwan, totaling more than $18 billion. These deals included advanced weapon systems that Taiwan had been unable to acquire for decades, significantly boosting its defense capabilities.

Now, just two months into his second term in the White House, Trump has already made a series of moves that have sent shockwaves across the globe. Greene’s statements are accurate and credible: there is no room for the America Skepticism theory.

Take Trump’s approach to the Russia–Ukraine war, for example. He adjusted his policy toward Russia, which has pushed the European Union to launch the nearly $1 trillion ReArm Europe Plan, shifting NATO’s defense burden from the United States to European nations. This, in turn, allows the United States to redirect more resources and military strength to the Indo–Pacific, increasing deterrence against its greatest adversary, the CCP.

Strategically, this benefits Taiwan significantly. Trump’s China strategy is not about figuring out how to help Taiwan after a war breaks out—it’s about preventing the CCP from even considering an attack in the first place. According to Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” the highest form of warfare is to defeat the enemy’s strategy before battle begins; it’s a strategic move on the chessboard.

Anyone who uses Trump’s mediation in the Russia–Ukraine war to promote the America Skepticism theory narrative is either biased or has ulterior motives.

Supporters of the America Skepticism theory often cite a claim from “The Room Where It Happened,” a 2020 memoir by Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton. According to Bolton, Trump, under the influence of Wall Street financiers who profited from investing in China, was “particularly dyspeptic” about Taiwan. Bolton wrote that Trump often compared Taiwan to the tip of his pen and China to his desk.

But this claim needs to be scrutinized.

First, Bolton’s tenure as national security adviser was brief (April 2018 to September 2019), and the two had a rocky relationship. Second, even if Trump did make the remark about likening Taiwan to the tip of his pen, it doesn’t mean he would abandon Taiwan. Some interpret it differently—as the saying goes, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Taiwan may be small, but that doesn’t diminish its strategic value to the United States in its critical role in the Indo-Pacific region.

Thus, Greene told Taiwan’s SET News: “The United States cannot maintain peace in the Indo–Pacific alone. We need our allies and partners, including Taiwan, to actively participate in this effort.”

Consider this: Taiwan policy is a matter of great importance, and decisions made by the U.S. government on this issue are taken with utmost caution. How can a single unverified claim suddenly make people join the America skepticism bandwagon? Isn’t this a classic example of being manipulated? Shouldn’t we adhere to an ancient Chinese saying regarding the Trump administration: “Watch what they do, not just what they say”?

Some also attempt to promote the America Skepticism theory by pointing to remarks made by Trump’s personnel appointments.

One example is Darren Beattie, who was appointed on Feb. 4 as acting under secretary of state for public diplomacy. Beattie posted controversial remarks on the social media platform X in May 2024—but this happened before he was appointed to his current role.

“Taiwan will inevitably belong to China, it’s only a matter of time,“ he wrote. ”It’s not worth expending any capital to prevent. A visionary statesman will recognize this and make a deal—in exchange for acknowledgement of this basic reality, get some serious concessions on Africa and Antartica [sic].”

Another key appointment is Allison Hooker, who Trump nominated for under secretary of state for political affairs, the third most senior role in the State Department. Hooker visited Taiwan last April and met with then-President Tsai Ing-wen. Does this mean her nomination suggests that the Trump administration supports Taiwan independence?

Then there’s Austin Dahmer, who was appointed as deputy under secretary of defense for policy. Chinese state-run media and some Taiwanese outlets have circulated Dahmer’s social media post, in which he wrote, “Americans can continue to be secure, prosperous, and free if/when Taiwan falls.” They suggest that this message represents the Trump administration’s stance. But is that the case?

Radio Free Asia’s Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) investigated and found that Dahmer made those remarks in August last year, before he was a defense official, meaning they don’t represent the administration’s official position. Moreover, his statement was part of a series of posts urging Taiwan to take greater responsibility for its own defense—something that was distorted in the Chinese and Taiwanese reporting. AFCL concluded that “framing Dahmer’s past online remarks—made before he became a defense official—as a ’signal' from the new administration could mislead the public.”

The reality is that Trump’s current Cabinet is filled with China hawks who take a hardline stance against the CCP; their position is clear. Even if some individuals hold differing views, that’s a normal part of governance—it doesn’t change the administration’s overall strategy. Having diverse perspectives can make policy decisions more rational and practical.

In short, whether it’s Trump’s mediation in the Russia–Ukraine war, his comments on Taiwan, or his personnel appointments, none provide evidence of support for the America Skepticism theory. Those who push this narrative without solid evidence and rational analysis and with excessive rhetoric—whether intentionally or not—are effectively aiding the CCP’s cognitive warfare against Taiwan.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.