Lev Nachman is political science professor at National Taiwan University’s Graduate Institute of National Development and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council Global China Hub and National Bureau of Asia Research. He is the co-author of the book “Taiwan: A Contested Democracy Under Threat.”
The future of the U.S.-Taiwan relationship is clouded by uncertainty and unpredictability. Despite having historically bipartisan support in America, Taiwan does not know what flavor of Donald Trump it will see in the coming four years of his presidency. His recent rhetoric during the election campaign marks a stark departure from the “rock-solid” stance of his previous administration, with statements accusing Taiwan of stealing the U.S. semiconductor industry and calling for it to allocate 10% of its gross domestic product to defense. This shift raises questions about the strength and stability of U.S. commitments to Taiwan in the coming years.
