Rep. Waltz: Biden White House's ambiguity on Taiwan-China 'isn't helpful'

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Rep. Waltz: 'We can't wait until Taipei is leveled' to have a 'tough response' to China

House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., slams the White House for backtracking on Biden's tough language on defending Taiwan from China.

House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Michael Waltz ripped the White House for backtracking on President Biden's strong language saying the U.S. will become militarily involved to defend Taiwan if China decides to invade. During a Monday appearance on "Fox & Friends First," Waltz told Fox News' Griff Jenkins that the U.S. cannot wait until Taipei is leveled to adopt a "tough response" to China and urged officials to put an end to ambiguous foreign policy.

US MILITARY WILL DEFEND TAIWAN ‘IF IT COMES TO THAT,’ BIDEN SAYS

REP. MICHAEL WALTZ: I welcome the president's strong language right on China's doorstep as he's meeting with the new Japanese prime minister. I was then going to say I hope the White House doesn't come around and try to clean it up. It sounds like they already are, and that kind of ambiguity isn't helpful. We need to make it very clear to China that invading Taiwan, which will then allow China to control about 50% of global trade and GDP, isn't acceptable and we need to move away from that policy of strategic ambiguity that we've had for years and make it very clear, because deterrence failed -- let's be clear. 

President Joe Biden speaks at a joint press conference during his visit to Asia.

Deterrence failed in Ukraine. We did not deter Putin from invading his neighbor and leveling whole cities. Yes, we're having a tough response, but it's a day late and a dollar short. We can't wait until Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is leveled, much like Mariupol is now, to then have a tough response. We need that tough talk up front, and I hope his staff doesn't try to come around and muddy the water.

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