Trump asked Xi Jinping if China would like to buy US weapons, American ambassador says

US Ambassador to China David Perdue claimed that Donald Trump offered to sell American weapons to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The White House has denied any plans for such sales, noting that US law prohibits arms transfers to China.
Why it matters
The report raises questions about US foreign policy consistency and the diplomatic handling of the sensitive Taiwan arms sales issue.
Taiwanese soldiers use a variant of the US-made Abrams tanks during drills in July 2025. Donald Trump is said to have offered to sell US weapons to China. Taiwanese soldiers use a variant of the US-made Abrams tanks during drills in July 2025. Donald Trump is said to have offered to sell US weapons to China. China Trump asked Xi Jinping if China would like to buy US weapons, American ambassador says David Perdue’s remarks come after a Taiwanese minister spoke of the ‘severe’ military threat posed by Beijing to the self-ruled island
Prefer the Guardian on Google Donald Trump offered to sell weapons to China while hosting its leader, Xi Jinping, last week, the US ambassador to China said on Sunday.
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