U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin criticizing the Biden Administration’s focus on air and missile defense for Ukraine while allegedly neglecting support for U.S. and Taiwanese forces in the Pacific.
“The tradeoff between sending weapons to Ukraine and supporting U.S. forces and allies in the Pacific can no longer be denied […] The Biden administration’s actions do not just place Taiwan at risk: these actions will endanger U.S. forces in the Pacific. Air and missile defenses are critical to protect U.S. forces from a potential Chinese attack,” wrote Senator Hawley.
He continued, “Let us be clear: China, not Russia, poses the greatest threat to American security. This should not be controversial […] If China successfully invades Taiwan, Beijing will be primed to dismantle America’s alliance network in East Asia and eventually dominate the region. And time is short to deter China.”
The letter addresses concerns over reports that the Biden administration will prioritize delivering Patriot, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), and associated interceptor missiles to Ukraine at the expense of U.S. military support in the Pacific.
“For years, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has asked the U.S. to let them purchase additional air and missile defenses to protect themselves from such an invasion,” Hawley noted. “Despite their pleas, this administration has instead prioritized Ukraine.”
Hawley also highlighted that while Taiwan waits for $2.81 billion in Patriot-related articles and services, another Patriot battery has been sent directly from U.S. military stocks to Ukraine.
“This is not the first time the United States has sacrificed air and missile defense in Asia for Ukraine,” Hawley stated, referring to previous pressures on Japan and South Korea to send their own stocks of Patriot interceptors to Ukraine.
Hawley requested written responses from Secretary Austin by August 9, 2024, on several points including which intended recipients will have their air and missile defense systems diverted to Ukraine, delays in force development efforts due to these diversions, plans for executing Joint Warfighting Concepts against China given current deficiencies, expected timelines for Taiwan receiving additional systems, assessments of military balance between the United States and China, and plans for scenarios where China seizes Taiwan.
The letter was also copied to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
