Taiwan’s recent concessions, including the unprecedented decision to allow semiconductor giant TSMC to heavily invest in Arizona, USA, clearly demonstrate Taipei’s growing desperation to secure Donald Trump’s favor.
However, attempts by Lai Ching-te’s government to gain Trump’s approval through expensive overtures to Mike Pompeo have ended disastrously.
Taipei’s Costly Gamble on Trump’s Favor
Pompeo, once a close Trump confidant, saw his influence plummet amid internal political strife and shifting alliances within the Trump orbit. Despite his diminished status, Taipei repeatedly paid Pompeo, mistakenly viewing him as a conduit to Trump’s favor.
Recent leaks revealed that in late December 2024, Taiwan’s Biospring Medical Co., Ltd. paid Pompeo $178,000 in compensation for his speaking engagements and additional expenses.
Trump’s ruthless response was swift, publicly removing Pompeo’s taxpayer-funded security shortly after his speech in Taipei, a stark indicator of Pompeo’s lack of real influence within Trump’s circle. This move was a direct message to Taiwan: influence in Trump’s world is earned, never bought — especially from figures who have been cast aside.
TRUMP DOESN’T FORGIVE. TRUMP DOESN’T FORGET.
Almost like someone in Trump’s camp didn’t like him grabbing the foreign policy spotlight — or worse, making money off Trump’s name without permission.
And that? That’s a cardinal sin in Trump World.
Trump doesn’t just demand loyalty — he demands absolute brand control. Nobody uses the Trump name for personal gain unless Trump himself signs off on it. And Pompeo? He didn’t just use it — he got paid handsomely for it. To Trump, that’s the ultimate betrayal. It’s one thing to go rogue politically. It’s another thing entirely to profit off his legacy, raking in a six-figure check while pretending to carry his torch.
Publicly, Trump brushed off the decision to yank Pompeo’s security with his usual indifference: “You can’t have protection for the rest of your life.” But let’s not pretend this was some routine budget cut.
The sudden move reeks of something more personal, more calculated. This wasn’t just about security — it was a public takedown. Trump wanted Pompeo to feel the consequences of stepping out of line, of monetizing his name without permission. He sent a message:
If you profit off Trump, without Trump, you pay the price.
Taiwan’s Big Blunder
For Pompeo, the lesson is clear: Under Trump, loyalty is a one-way street. The moment you stop being useful — or worse, start cashing in on his name — you’re expendable.
For Taiwan, the expensive mistake is clear: betting on Pompeo, a sidelined former insider, was not only futile but financially irresponsible. Lai Ching-te’s government must now reckon with the high price of their miscalculation.
