David Sacks

Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations. Taiwan, cross-Strait relations, U.S.-China, Chinese FP. Opinions my own; RTs/follows not endorsements.

[David Sacks @DavidMSacks1]

Coming in November: THE REALIST, the first book to tell the full story of Hans Morgenthau, the man who escaped Nazi Germany and pioneered realism—the approach to foreign policy that guided the United States through the Cold War and explains today’s world.

https://t.co/97zagIV7pN

[David Sacks @DavidMSacks1]

President Trump said he is holding "in abeyance" a major arms package for Taiwan. @RushDoshi and I explain for @CFR_org why withholding arms to Taiwan would be a strategic error.

https://t.co/e15esyHF5w

[CFR China Strategy Initiative @CFR_China]

NEW report from @CFR_China and CFR's Global Health program: @TomBollyky, @RushDoshi, @OliviaWKosloff, @Prof_Yadav_SCM and Research Associate Elena Every provide a replicable solution framework for how the U.S. can reduce its pharmaceutical dependence on China.

[Lingling Wei 魏玲灵 @Lingling_Wei]

With three more Trump-Xi meetings planned for this year, Taipei faces the risk that Beijing has mapped out a sequence of additional concessions to seek from Washington, each building on the last. With @Kubota_Yoko @joyuwang https://t.co/skhrs6oumk

[Jonathan Cheng @JChengWSJ]

“China has done a lot to try to elevate her,” said @DavidMSacks1, a Council on Foreign Relations fellow for Asia studies. Sacks met Cheng in Taipei after her Beijing trip and will host a private discussion with her in New York.
https://t.co/Ib4yEA7D3U

[Jonathan Cheng @JChengWSJ]

@DavidMSacks1 If Cheng returns home having secured high-level American access, she can present herself back home as the one figure capable of managing both Beijing and Washington. “That,” Sacks said, “would be a fairly formidable proposition.”
https://t.co/Ib4yEA8aTs

[David Sacks @DavidMSacks1]

Compare to last year:

“Again, to be clear: any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world. There's no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.”

[Rush Doshi @RushDoshi]

On China: “We respect their ambitions.”

On Arms Sale: No answer when asked whether Taiwans weapons sales are paused.

On Taiwan Policy: “Position hasn’t changed.”

[Rush Doshi @RushDoshi]

On China: “We respect their ambitions.”

On Arms Sale: No answer when asked whether Taiwans weapons sales are paused.

On Taiwan Policy: “Position hasn’t changed.”

[Council on Foreign Relations @CFR_org]

President Trump disclosed that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping “talked the whole night” in Beijing about Taiwan. The administration’s decision to pause arms sales to the island will embolden China and weaken deterrence, experts @RushDoshi and @DavidMSacks1 argue. https://t.co/PSdpUAPUCj

[David Sacks @DavidMSacks1]

Zero

[Bill Bishop @niubi]

Five mentions of Taiwan in secretary of war hegseth’s 2025 speech at the Shangri-la Dialogue https://t.co/sgSxZXnSzT what will he say about it at this year’s speech?

[Derek J. Grossman @DerekJGrossman]

In recent conversations with Chinese interlocutors, I've been told Beijing is now demanding that if the US persists with arms sales to Taiwan, it must be a much smaller package than the proposed $14 billion one currently paused. Trump opened the door and Xi waltzed right in.
https://t.co/TZcD4PUB7K

[CFR China Strategy Initiative @CFR_China]

NEW: @DavidMSacks1 and @RushDoshi warn of the negative effects of pausing arms sales to Taiwan. Read more here: https://t.co/hTdixj2uCV

[Michael “In A Move Likely To Anger China” Mazza @mike_mazza]

@RushDoshi @DavidMSacks1 @Michael7ucci And of course it’s not just rhetoric. The administration notified Congress of an arms sale and is now holding it up. That’s action. Hopefully temporary, but we have no choice but to take the president’s words seriously.

[Taiwan Defense @taiwandefense]

Trump Shouldn’t Give China a Veto on Taiwan Arms Sales
https://t.co/1daWla7NLp

[Council on Foreign Relations @CFR_org]

President Trump disclosed that he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping “talked the whole night” in Beijing about Taiwan. The administration’s decision to pause arms sales to the island will embolden China and weaken deterrence, experts @RushDoshi and @DavidMSacks1 argue. https://t.co/PSdpUAQsrR

[Foreign Affairs @ForeignAffairs]

Taiwan does not have the capacity to defend itself from China, argue Marvin Park and @DavidMSacks1. The United States—the only country able to protect the island from Beijing’s increasing aggression—must continue to cooperate with Taiwan.
https://t.co/nuUEVVYa1M

[Foreign Affairs @ForeignAffairs]

Washington’s neutrality toward Taiwan has helped maintain peace in the strait for decades, write Marvin Park and @DavidMSacks1. Today, any shift in that stance could embolden China and destabilize the region.
https://t.co/nuUEVVYa1M

[Lyle Morris @LyleJMorris]

Here is the video of @AsiaPolicy's webinar earlier this week on Taiwan after the Trump-Xi summit. Great discussion that covered a lot of ground. One of the reasons I'm proud to work at @AsiaSociety is its ability to bring voices together from China, Taiwan and the U.S. Even if we don't always agree, we can have civil discourse and debate in a cordial, frank manner. Thanks again to @DavidMSacks1, Shao Yuqun and Chung-min Tsai for an excellent discussion!

https://t.co/S0efpVwv12

[David Sacks @DavidMSacks1]

There’s a very low chance that President Trump actually speaks with President Lai. What is more relevant is Trump’s reference to the “Taiwan problem,” yet more evidence that Xi’s framing has taken root.

[Rapid Response 47 @RapidResponse47]

"Do you have any plans to call President Lai of Taiwan before you make a decision on the weapons package?"

@POTUS: "I'll speak to him. I speak to everybody. We have that situation very well in hand. We had a great meeting with President Xi... we'll work on that, the Taiwan problem."

[Lyle Morris @LyleJMorris]

Still time to sign up for tomorrow morning's @AsiaPolicy webinar on takeaways on Taiwan from the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing, with @DavidMSacks1, Shao Yuqun and Chung-min Tsai. A lot to talk about!

https://t.co/jvqGBGK3Xj

[TaiwanPlus News @taiwanplusnews]

“Trump said he would need to discuss it with President Lai, which would be precedent-breaking."

After the Trump-Xi summit, David Sacks of the Council on Foreign Relations weighs in on what it means for Taiwan.