The Trump 2.0 National Security Strategy highlights Taiwan’s strategic importance, prioritizes deterring China, and reaffirms United States opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

The White House released the “Trump 2.0” National Security Strategy (NSS) report earlier this month. Former Assistant Secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Randall G. Schriver said the language concerning Taiwan in the report strengthens Taiwan’s importance; deterring China is also clearly emphasized as a strategic objective.

The 2025 NSS report states that deterring conflict against Taiwan, ideally by maintaining military superiority, is a U.S. priority, and that Washington will maintain its long-standing policy position that the United States does not support any unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

The report further notes that Taiwan is receiving heightened attention in part due to its dominance in semiconductor production, but more importantly, because it provides a direct gateway to the Second Island Chain and separates Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia into two distinct strategic theaters.

Schriver was part of the first Trump administration and now serves as chairman of the U.S. think tank Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS). He attended a forum last week for the release of former Chief of the General Staff of Taiwan Admiral Lee Hsi-ming’s (李喜明) new book. 

When asked about the latest NSS, Schriver said that the language of the report clearly articulates Taiwan’s strategic value. He noted that the content of the NSS can be seen as broadly supporting efforts such as Taiwan’s recent special defense budget proposal and leaves ample room for U.S.-Taiwan cooperation.

Lee emphasized at his book launch that asymmetric warfare is key to deterring China. He believes strategic clarity is particularly important in Taiwan’s case, saying that if the U.S. were to clearly state that it would intervene militarily in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait not initiated by Taiwan, this would likely boost Taiwan’s morale and encourage greater investment in military capabilities.

Hanna Bilinski for Rti News