Senator Lindsey Graham has warned of a crisis unfolding in Taiwan as China conducts military exercises near the democratic island. In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Graham advocated for increased American presence in the region to act as a deterrent against encroaching Chinese expansionist aims. The Senator, from South Carolina, also voiced concerns that a Chinese blockade of Taiwan could occur in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. Graham has since been open to the idea of sending US forces to defend Taiwan; his comments come after previous discussions of “strategic ambiguity” failed to quell Chinese aggression towards Taiwan. The excursion by President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-Wen to meet with key US officials has led to Chinese officials labelling it a “provocation” and resulted in hostile sanctions for hosting organizations. In response, Graham advocated for a series of deterrent measures to stop China from eventually taking over Taiwan, such as increasing training and access to faster planes, and getting the F-16s needed in Taiwan.