Trump Weighs New Taiwan Arms Package After Xi Summit

Cover image from salon.com, which was analyzed for this article
Following talks in Beijing, the administration is weighing additional weapons support for Taiwan. The move is viewed partly as leverage in broader US-China negotiations.
PoliticalOS
Sunday, May 17, 2026 — Politics
The central unresolved issue is whether new U.S. arms for Taiwan will deter Beijing or prompt the confrontation both governments publicly seek to avoid. Semiconductor dependence makes any decision economically consequential within a short window. Readers should track whether the package advances or stalls as the clearest signal of Washington’s post-summit direction.
What outlets missed
Most accounts omitted Trump’s explicit public statement that he does not believe Xi wants conflict over Taiwan, leaving adviser warnings without that direct counterpoint. Chinese Foreign Ministry language on agreed strategic stability was also absent from several pieces, as were any details on the size or timing of the arms package under review. Concrete reactions from Taiwan’s government and from U.S. chip manufacturers were not included despite their direct stake in supply-chain continuity.
TPUSA Faith Tour Struggles to Spark Revival After Charlie Kirk Memorial
The Make Heaven Crowded tour launched by TPUSA Faith in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing has so far failed to deliver the sweeping spiritual awakening its organizers promised. Lucas Miles, director of the organization and a former Indiana pastor, has spent months on the road telling crowds that genuine revival cannot be forced or manufactured. Yet the tour itself was conceived precisely as a response to Kirk’s September memorial at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix, an event Miles once described as the most significant gospel presentation in the history of Christendom.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed earlier that month. The memorial drew thousands and featured heavy political messaging alongside religious appeals. TPUSA Faith, the Christian-focused arm of the group, quickly positioned the tour as a continuation of that moment, aiming to equip believers to defend what it calls God-given rights while drawing new people into the faith. Miles has repeated that he does not believe revivals can be engineered, even as the tour’s schedule, branding, and partnership with conservative congregations make clear the effort to generate momentum.
Early stops have produced modest turnouts and little evidence of the national shift Miles and others anticipated. Reports from the road describe polite but subdued audiences, with limited follow-through on commitments to activism or church involvement. The tour’s own messaging acknowledges that forcing spiritual change is impossible, yet the structure of events—stump speeches, calls to political engagement, and explicit ties to right-wing causes—suggests the primary goal remains mobilizing an existing conservative base rather than reaching new converts.
Critics note the tension between the tour’s stated religious purpose and its clear political objectives. TPUSA Faith markets itself as preparing Christians to defend constitutional principles, a framing that blends theology with standard conservative talking points on issues such as education, immigration, and government power. Miles has insisted the focus is spiritual, but the organization’s parent group has long operated as a vehicle for campus and youth outreach aligned with Republican priorities. The gap between the revival rhetoric and the practical agenda has left some observers questioning whether the tour can sustain interest once the initial shock of Kirk’s death fades.
Attendance figures and donation reports from the spring and summer legs have not matched internal projections, according to people familiar with the planning. Organizers have adjusted messaging at some venues to emphasize personal faith journeys over large-scale transformation. Miles continues to argue that authentic revival must come from individual conviction rather than orchestrated events, a stance that now reads as both theological caution and an implicit admission that expectations may have been set too high.
The broader context is a conservative movement still processing Kirk’s death and searching for ways to maintain energy among younger supporters. Previous Turning Point efforts relied heavily on Kirk’s personal profile and combative style. Without that central figure, TPUSA Faith has struggled to replicate the same draw. The Make Heaven Crowded tour reflects an attempt to shift emphasis toward faith-based organizing, yet the results so far indicate that political branding alone cannot substitute for organic religious momentum.
Miles has pledged to continue the tour through the summer, adjusting formats and locations in hopes of better reception. Whether the effort can move beyond memorial-driven sympathy and into sustained growth remains an open question for an organization built on the intersection of faith and partisan activism.
You just read Progressive's take. Want to read what actually happened?
More in Politics

US Apache Crashes Near Strait of Hormuz; Crew Rescued
A US Army Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran tensions. Crew was rescued safely with no injuries reported.

Trump booed during anthem at Knicks NBA Finals game
President Trump became the first sitting US president to attend an NBA Finals game but faced loud boos from the New York crowd at Madison Square Garden.

Raman Advances Past Pratt to Face Bass in LA Mayor Runoff
Progressive Democrat Nithya Raman secured second place to advance to the runoff against Karen Bass, knocking out Trump-backed influencer Spencer Pratt.

Judge Voids Trump $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee as Unlawful Tax
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's proposed $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, easing concerns for employers and foreign workers.