A group of Republicans led by U.S. Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) requested a classified briefing from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. State Department regarding damaged defense ammunitions being sent to Taiwan.
“We write to you to express our disappointment and concern with the recent revelations of the [DOD’s] improper and inexcusable handling and delivery of defense equipment to Taiwan,” wrote the 10 members in an Oct. 23 letter sent to Michael Miller, acting director of DOD’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and Stanley Brown, acting director of the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
“As the Chinese Communist Party ramps up its hostile rhetoric and provocations in the Taiwan Strait, timely deliveries of operational equipment that Taiwan has already purchased from the U.S. are imperative,” wrote Rep. Kim and her colleagues, who also included U.S. Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL) and Rich McCormick (R-GA).
The DOD Office of the Inspector General on Sept. 11 published a report on damaged equipment being provided to Taiwan under the U.S. Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), according to their letter.
Specifically, the report found that Taiwan received moldy body armor and expired munitions after loosely packaged bundles of equipment sat in poor weather conditions for months; more than two-thirds of the equipment were left unserviceable, and from November 2023 to March 2024, the DOD failed to “effectively or efficiently implement accountability and quality controls” for military equipment transfers to Taiwan, resulting in more than $730,000 in labor and replacement costs, wrote the members.
“This is unfair to Taiwan who already purchased the equipment and American taxpayers who must ultimately pay for the department’s negligence,” according to the letter.
The members want several questions answered and requested a classified briefing on steps taken by both agencies to ensure this never happens again.
“Taiwan and our allies are counting on the United States to deliver on our promises,” wrote Rep. Kim and the members.
