President Donald Trump denied offering U.S. weapons sales to China, following statements by U.S. Ambassador to Beijing David Perdue that the American leader floated the proposal to Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. “I haven’t heard about that,” Trump told the AFP news agency on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, insisting no such discussion occurred during talks with Xi.
Ambassador David Perdue’s Claims on Fox News
The controversy stems from an interview U.S. Ambassador David Perdue gave to Fox News on Sunday, September 27, 2026. Perdue stated that during Xi’s visit to the U.S. the previous week, Trump raised the topic of military sales while discussing Washington’s sales of weapons to other countries around the world. According to the ambassador, Trump asked Xi whether Beijing intended to purchase American equipment, adding that discussions regarding various sales happen during every presidential meeting.
Trump Rejects the Report While Praising U.S. Manufacturing
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Xi, Trump disputed Perdue’s account of a proposal. While Trump asserted that the U.S. manufactures superior defense equipment compared to China—suggesting Beijing might want to buy them—he maintained that the transaction was never actually discussed. The White House subsequently clarified to the New York Times, as reported by The Guardian, that the administration holds no plans to sell weapons to China.
U.S. Legal Restrictions and the Taiwan Issue
The U.S. State Department emphasized that federal law strictly prohibits arms sales to China. Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, making Washington’s regular arms supplies to Taipei a long-standing point of friction between the two superpowers. Trump noted on Saturday, September 26, 2026, that Xi understands the American position on Taiwan, though he made no public mention of a weapons offer at that time.
Context Check: What the Sources Reveal
While Ambassador Perdue claimed Trump asked Xi about buying U.S. weapons, both Trump’s direct statements and official clarifications from the State Department and White House confirm that no such offer exists, noting that U.S. law bans military transactions with Beijing.
Common Questions Regarding the U.S.-China Arms Controversy
Did President Trump offer to sell weapons to China?
No. President Trump denied the claim, stating he had not heard about such an offer and that the topic was never discussed with Xi Jinping.
What did Ambassador David Perdue say?
In a Fox News interview on September 27, 2026, Perdue claimed Trump asked Xi if Beijing intended to buy U.S. weapons during their meetings.
Does U.S. law allow weapons sales to China?
No. The U.S. State Department confirmed that federal rules prohibit selling arms to China.
How has the White House responded?
The White House told the New York Times that the United States has no plans to sell weapons to China.
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