President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) sat down with United States conservative radio host Buck Sexton to discuss Taiwan-U.S. semiconductor cooperation, saying Taiwan is willing to help America reindustrialize and become the global center of artificial intelligence.

Sexton, a prominent MAGA-aligned media personality, former CIA intelligence analyst, and NYPD counterterrorism officer, is known for his staunch support of former President Donald Trump and his sharp national security commentary. During his recent visit to Taiwan, he met with TSMC executives, toured military facilities, and observed local defense exercises. On social media, Sexton shared photos with Lai and the Republic of China (Taiwan) flag.

The interview, broadcast on Tuesday, covered a wide range of topics, including cross-strait relations, defense strategy, and Taiwan’s social and economic policies. On semiconductor cooperation, Lai underscored that while Taiwan’s industry has achieved global success, it forms only part of a broader ecosystem: the United States drives innovation and design, Japan contributes materials and equipment, South Korea leads in memory chips, and the Netherlands provides key manufacturing tools. He noted that the U.S. still captures about 80% of the sector’s total profits and remains the global leader.

Lai’s appearance followed earlier remarks on the same program, where he said Trump “would deserve the Nobel Peace Prize” if he could persuade Chinese President Xi Jinping to permanently renounce the use of force against Taiwan—a reflection of Taipei’s hope that Washington will remain committed to defending peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific.