US government denies Donald Trump offered to sell weapons to China

Contradictory Claims From Washington and Beijing

Ambassador David Perdue asserted during an interview with Fox News that President Donald Trump offered military hardware to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a bilateral summit in Washington the previous week. According to Perdue, Trump told Xi that the U.S. sells weapons globally and directly asked if China wanted to buy some. Perdue added that conversations about sales continue and that Trump and Xi discuss the topic during every meeting, emphasizing that U.S. policy remains unchanged. President Trump disputed those remarks when questioned by reporters in the Oval Office on September 28, 2026. Trump stated that he had never heard of such an offer, though he noted that China would likely want to buy American equipment because it is superior, calling it a potential idea that was not actually discussed. A White House official subsequently clarified to AFP that the U.S. government has no such sales in preparation and holds no plans to sell arms to China. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs avoided a direct response to the ambassador’s comments during a briefing on September 28, 2026. The ministry stated that China consistently strengthens its national defense capabilities based on its own needs while remaining committed to global peace and stability.

Legislative Restrictions and Cross-Strait Tensions

Ambassador Perdue’s statements drew attention because U.S. congressional legislation strictly prohibits transferring military equipment to Beijing. Following the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, Congress banned the Department of State from granting export licenses for items listed on the United States Munitions List to the People’s Republic of China. The diplomatic confusion emerged alongside ongoing friction regarding Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory and has not ruled out taking by force. While U.S. law requires Washington to provide defensive arms to Taiwan’s democratically elected government, the Trump administration has faced scrutiny for withholding certain military shipments intended for Taipei. During his Washington visit, President Xi urged Trump to act with prudence regarding Taiwan and demanded that the U.S. explicitly oppose Taiwanese independence. The administration previously approved a large-scale arms sale to Taiwan valued at $11.1 billion in December, with Perdue noting that the transaction demonstrated that the administration had sold more arms to Taiwan than any other president since 1979. President Trump also suggested in May that a future military package for Taipei could serve as a negotiation lever with Beijing, raising concerns regarding Taiwan’s security commitments.