US diplomat tells Taiwan's leadership to pipe down on independence talk

US diplomat Philip H. Gordon’s warning on Trump’s Taiwan policy sparked a debate over strategy, rhetoric, and US ties.

With Donald Trump returning to the White House in 2024, Taipei is closely monitoring how US policy toward Taiwan might shift. The possibility of a "Trump 2.0" administration has sparked concerns that Taiwan could be used as a bargaining chip in Washington’s evolving approach to China.

Gordon, a former US National Security Council official and current fellow at the Brookings Institution, raised this warning in a recent Foreign Policy article titled “Trump Might Sell Out Taiwan—Here’s How to Prevent It.” In the article, he argued that Trump’s transactional style could put Taiwan at risk during negotiations with Beijing.

To strengthen its position, Gordon recommends Taiwan take three key steps: increase defense spending, expand economic ties with the US—especially through high-profile investments like those by semiconductor giant TSMC—and tone down pro-independence rhetoric that could trigger backlash from China or weaken support in Washington.

AIT responds with reassurance

Following Gordon’s article, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) posted two statements on August 25, signaling US support for Taiwan and attempting to calm public unease.

In the first statement, AIT Director Raymond Greene met with Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense, Koo Li-hsiung, reaffirming Washington’s security commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act.

A second statement described Greene’s meeting with lawmakers from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) to discuss defense cooperation. AIT emphasized that the United States remains committed to engaging with political leaders across the spectrum to strengthen the US-Taiwan partnership.


Local reactions and policy debate in Taipei

Gordon’s recommendations have stirred discussion across Taiwan’s political spectrum. While his calls to increase defense spending and expand investment in the US align with current policy, his suggestion for more cautious political messaging has proven more controversial.

Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) told TCN that Gordon’s advice could be interpreted as a signal that Washington prefers Taiwan to adhere to the current cross-Strait status quo. As for whether President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) would soften his current tone, which leans toward independence, Wang said, “Not necessarily.”

She said that “Lai Ching-te's own ideological stance is that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other, which essentially extends the idea of ‘one country on each side.’ And, in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, key ministers aligned with Lai's policy direction—such as the Minister of Education and the Minister of the Interior—have remained in their posts.”

Wang added that without clear signals from the US, it is unlikely President Lai will moderate his rhetoric.

On the other side of the aisle, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) told TCN that rising tensions are not the result of Taiwan’s messaging, but rather stem from provocations by Beijing. “China should engage in dialogue rather than avoid it,” Chen said.

Chen acknowledged that while the overall tone may not shift dramatically, more measured rhetoric is likely—for example, using terms like “Republic of China Taiwan” and “mutual non-subordination” to maintain domestic consensus without unnecessarily escalating tensions.

“This sort of rhetoric may play an important role both domestically and internationally,” Chen stated, “Domestically, it reinforces democratic values and unity; internationally, it sends a message of calm confidence, not aggression.”

Beyond rhetoric: competing visions for strategy

Lawmakers are also floating additional strategies to bolster Taiwan’s position beyond Gordon’s three suggestions.

Wang stated that the most important card for Taiwan is the semiconductor industry, and that Taiwan should maintain strategic autonomy. TSMC's refusal to allow US equity participation could be an example for Taiwan's government to learn from, Wang added.

Chen, on the other hand, stated that Taiwan's cooperation with the US could be based on reciprocity. Chen said that several strategies the Taiwan government can adopt to deepen Taiwan–US cooperation include bundling security with economic cooperation by integrating arms sales into trade negotiations, promoting co-production and localized maintenance of military vessels, and establishing bilateral cooperation on infrastructure resilience and emerging technologies—especially related to drone technology, submarine cables, and space infrastructure.


As Taiwan adjusts to the realities of a second Trump presidency, Taipei’s challenge is to craft a strategy that balances domestic priorities with evolving dynamics in Washington and Beijing. Gordon’s “three cards” may offer a starting point, but Taiwan’s path forward must be charted independently—with a clear-eyed view of national interest, political reality, and regional stability.