the American people stand with Taiwan. will the Trump administration?

At a time when autocracies are gaining ground and the global contest between democracy and authoritarianism intensifies, the American public has spoken loudly and clearly. They support Taiwan. Now, it’s time for the new Trump administration to listen.

A recent national poll conducted by Remington Research Group and commissioned by the Humanity for Freedom Foundation reveals overwhelming bipartisan support for Taiwan. 82 percent of likely U.S. voters believe Taiwan is independent. Nearly 70 percent hold a favorable view of Taiwan, and a majority—58 percent—support full diplomatic recognition.

This isn’t just a foreign policy preference—it’s a national conviction.

The implications for U.S. policy could not be more urgent. For decades, Washington has clung to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” when it comes to Taiwan’s defense, hoping to deter aggression from Beijing without sparking conflict. That time has passed. Strategic ambiguity now reads as strategic vulnerability.

If the Trump administration fails to act on what the American people so clearly believe, it risks sending a dangerous signal—not just to China, but to every authoritarian regime watching closely. In Moscow, Tehran, and Pyongyang, leaders measure American resolve. They are watching what we tolerate, what we reward, and what we ignore.

As the United States pulls back from its global commitments, especially in Europe, where Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine drags on with diminishing American support, autocrats are emboldened. A failure to take a principled, public stand for Taiwan would not merely be a diplomatic oversight. It would be an invitation for aggression. It would tell authoritarians that they can redraw borders by force, undermine democracies, and silence dissent with little consequence from the world’s leading democracy.

President Trump has long branded himself as a leader who puts American interests first. Supporting Taiwan is a moral obligation and firmly in America’s national interest. Taiwan is a global hub for advanced semiconductor production, a democratic partner in an increasingly volatile Indo-Pacific region, and a symbol of what free societies can achieve under constant threat.

To ignore the moment is to abdicate leadership. To delay is to betray democratic values. The American people are ready. The question now is whether their leaders are. 

President Trump should make a clear public commitment to Taiwan, not just in words, but through official diplomatic recognition, economic partnerships, and defensive cooperation. This is not a radical idea. It’s a reflection of what the American people already believe.

History will remember what we chose to stand for. And so will those who seek to replace freedom with fear.