Trump denies offering to sell US weapons to China's Xi, contradicting US envoy

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly denied offering to sell American military hardware to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, contradicting recent assertions made by U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue.

How did President Trump respond to Ambassador Perdue's claims?

During an Oval Office press briefing, President Trump rejected assertions made by Ambassador Perdue during a Sunday interview with Fox News, where the envoy stated that Trump had asked President Xi during last week's White House summit if China wished to purchase U.S. weaponry in response to Beijing's concerns over American arms shipments to Taiwan.

"To China? You mean to Taiwan?" Trump asked reporters when questioned about Perdue's remarks. "I've never heard of that one, I'm going to have to ask him... But we didn't discuss it." Trump suggested Perdue was likely referring to discussions surrounding Taiwan, though he added that China would probably like to buy superior U.S. equipment, noting, "so maybe it's a good idea, but we didn't discuss it."

How have US and Chinese officials clarified arms sales policies and Taiwan ties?

Following Perdue's comments, the U.S. Department of State and White House officials acted to clarify U.S. defense policy. According to reporting by The New York Times and Anadolu Agency, the State Department reaffirmed that federal law strictly prohibits arms sales to the People's Republic of China, confirming that no such proposals or plans exist.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, Washington remains legally mandated to provide defensive weaponry to Taiwan. While Washington approved an $11.1 billion arms package in December, a separate $14 billion transaction was paused in May, which Trump characterized as a strategic "negotiating chip" in broader trade and security talks with Beijing.

Asked about Perdue's account on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun declined to address the claim directly, reiterating that Beijing continues to develop its national defense capabilities independently based on its sovereign security requirements. Both leaders are scheduled to meet again later this year at the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November and the G20 summit in Miami in December.