Trump asked Xi whether China wanted to buy US weapons, ambassador says

Washington, USA, September 28, 2026 — US President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping whether China would like to buy American weapons, US Ambassador to China David Perdue said in a television interview, although the State Department later said there is no plan or offer to sell arms to Beijing.

Perdue made the disclosure during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” on September 27 while discussing Xi’s three-day state visit to Washington last week. He said Trump had referred to the United States selling weapons to countries around the world and had asked Xi at one point whether he wanted to buy some.

Perdue did not specify when Trump made the remark, whether it was during Xi’s recent visit or another meeting, and he did not disclose how the Chinese president responded.

The remarks came amid continuing disagreement between Washington and Beijing over US arms sales to Taiwan. China opposes American weapons sales to Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory, while Washington maintains a longstanding policy of providing Taipei with defensive equipment.

The United States had also paused a proposed $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan after Trump met Xi in Beijing in May. Trump described the Taiwan arms sales at the time as a “very good negotiating chip” in discussions with China.

Following Perdue’s comments, the White House said the United States had no plans to sell weapons to China. A State Department official also told media that US law prohibits arms sales to China and that there was no offer or plan for such a sale.

Perdue had separately said that Trump and Xi continued to discuss future US weapons sales to Taiwan and rejected suggestions that Washington had changed its Taiwan policy.

During Xi’s Washington visit, the Chinese president also pressed Trump to oppose Taiwan independence, according to Chinese state media. Both governments continue to regard Taiwan as a major issue in their bilateral relationship.