Damaged equipment sent to Taiwan prompts House GOP response

In the letter shared exclusively with the Washington Examiner, Republicans expressed concern over the “troubling” report from the Department of Defense’s inspector general that found Taiwan received moldy body armor and expired munitions after the improperly packaged goods experienced harsh weather conditions.

The damaged equipment cost the United States over $730,000 for labor and replacement, the inspector general found.

The letter is led by Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Indo-Pacific Subcommittee.

“The United States promised to deliver vital defense equipment to Taiwan to help deter CCP aggression. The Biden-Harris administration sending defective equipment to our friends is inexcusable and makes America look weak on the world stage yet again,” said Kim. “I will continue to conduct Congressional oversight of this administration’s disastrous foreign policy and work as Indo-Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman to ensure peace and stability in the region.”

Other Republican co-signers include Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Brian Mast (R-FL), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Cory Mills (R-FL), Keith Self (R-TX), Rich McCormick (R-GA), and Darrell Issa (R-CA), as well as Guam GOP Del. James Moylan.

The letter from the House lawmakers sent Thursday follows a similar memo sent by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Wednesday, expressing concern that the damaged equipment report could lead to a “broader strategic risk to U.S. credibility.”

In response to Ernst’s letter, the Pentagon pointed to comments from spokesperson Maj. Pete Nguyen that the U.S. government is committed to providing equipment sufficient for operational use.

“Taiwan will be informed by the lessons learned from PDA-01, which was the first of its kind, and has taken action to improve its PDA process for Taiwan,” Nguyen said. “The Department’s priority remains maintaining peace and security across the Taiwan Strait.”

The report, released on Sept. 12, concluded that between November 2023 and March 2024, the Pentagon failed to follow delivery guidelines. Over 340 out of 540 pallets of equipment, or 67%, sustained water damage after being exposed to blowing rain, fog, humidity, and heat due to insufficient storage facilities. Of the 340 damaged pallets, 120 were delivered to Taiwan, amounting to over 3,000 mildewed body armor plates and 500 moldy tactical vests.

“Had policies been followed, the Defense Department would have been able to provide Taiwan with military equipment in acceptable condition,” Inspector General Robert Storch said in a statement. “Instead, the equipment arrived in Taiwan damaged and moldy. Such performance risks eroding Taiwan’s confidence in the United States as a reliable source of assistance.”

Republicans noted that Taiwan has yet to receive $24.24 billion worth of equipment and munitions, with $9.82 billion worth of pending deliveries being delayed as of September. Leaders in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, have complained about a delay in U.S. arms deliveries, particularly upgraded F-14 fighter jets, per Reuters.

The Biden administration also recently announced in late September another $567 million in defense aid for Taiwan under the U.S. Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the U.S. to send equipment to allies from Pentagon supplies. The announcement was the latest step taken by the Biden administration to bolster Taiwan in the face of rising tensions with China over the country’s independence.

House GOP lawmakers are calling on the DOD’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to answer questions on the oversight of the delivery, the timeline of learning about the damaged goods, and how the agencies will implement changes recommended by the inspector general.

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“We also request a classified briefing on steps taken by both agencies to ensure this never happens again,” the lawmakers wrote. “Taiwan and our allies are counting on the United States to deliver on our promises.”

The Washington Examiner reached out to the Pentagon and State Department for comment.