Trump issues pardons to 2 auto shop owners at Alaska rally

On October 13, 2026, US President Donald Trump announced at a rally in Wasilla, Alaska, that Taiwan has agreed to purchase 30% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Alaska's pipeline project. However, the terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed that Taiwan committed to investing $4.4 billion in the pipeline's development. Taiwan’s economy ministry, responsible for energy policy, declined to provide an immediate response to the announcement.

Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai responded to Trump’s remarks, emphasizing the government’s responsibility to stabilize and enhance the overall energy supply, as well as bolster resilience in energy procurement, akin to the strategies employed by other nations. This comment came in response to Taiwan officials' statements in February, which indicated that the island intended to increase its imports of US natural gas to account for roughly one-third of its overall imports and decrease purchases from other countries.

CPC Corp, the state energy firm of Taiwan, signed an agreement with Alaska Gasline Development Corp the previous year to acquire LNG and invest in the pipeline project. Last year, Alaska's governor confirmed Taiwan's letter of intent to purchase 6 million metric tons of LNG annually from the project. The investment aimed to ensure Taiwan's energy security.

In a separate development, President Lai Ching-te of Taiwan highlighted the significance of the pipeline project during a visit to the site in Alaska, a project the Trump administration has actively promoted to Asian allies as a potential energy supply option. If constructed, the Alaska LNG project would export up to 20 million tons of chilled LNG annually.

Up to this point, the project had secured agreements for 13 million tons of LNG per year from various Asian buyers, including French major TotalEnergies. To finalize financing for the project, additional agreements for 3 million tons were required.

The pipeline would provide direct access for US-produced LNG to Asian markets, including Taiwan, bypassing the need to navigate the Panama Canal or circumvent the Horn of Africa, thus reducing transit time and costs. Taiwan has pledged to significantly ramp up its purchases from the United States, including energy, to address the sizable trade surplus that has strained relations with Washington.

Earlier in the month, Trump had claimed that South Korea had agreed to invest in the $54 billion Alaska LNG pipeline project, although Seoul later stated that the commitment was not yet finalized.