Donald Trump suggested selling weapons to China, ambassador says
Donald Trump suggested selling United States weapons to Chinese President Xi Jinping during bilateral meetings in Washington, according to statements made by David Perdue, the United States ambassador to China. The overture emerged as the American president attempted to relativize military sales to Taiwan by portraying weapons exports as routine commercial transactions conducted with numerous countries across the globe.
The revelation triggered an immediate clarification from the United States Department of State on Monday, September 28, 2026, with federal officials emphasizing that existing statutory export restrictions firmly bar any such military transactions with Beijing. “US law prohibits arms sales to China and there is no offer or plan to sell arms to China,” an official from the Department of State said.
David Perdue details exchange between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping
The diplomatic discussion was disclosed publicly during a television interview broadcast on Sunday, September 27, 2026, on the Fox News Sunday program hosted by anchor Shannon Bream. David Perdue explained that the topic arose as Donald Trump sought to downplay long-standing friction surrounding arms shipments provided by Washington to Taipei.
“President Trump continues to say: hey, we sell arms to other people around the world. He actually asked President Xi would he like to buy some at one point,” Perdue said when recounting the interaction between the two heads of state.
The bilateral conversations took place during a three-day official visit by Xi Jinping to the American capital, which concluded on Friday, September 25, 2026. The trip marked the first state visit by a Chinese leader to the United States in 11 years, following Xi’s previous summit hosted during the administration of former President Barack Obama in 2015.
Why does federal law restrict weapons trade with China?
United States arms sales to China have been outlawed under federal sanctions established in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. These legal prohibitions explicitly ban the export, re-export, and transfer of defense articles and technical defense services to Chinese entities. These export control statutes create a comprehensive legal embargo that bars executive agencies from proposing or executing military trade pacts with Beijing without direct congressional intervention.
In contrast to the embargo on Beijing, American arms shipments to Taiwan are framed by the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which mandates that the United States government make available defensive articles necessary to enable the island to maintain a sufficient self-defense capacity. These regular military transfers consistently trigger diplomatic protests from the Chinese government, which claims sovereignty over the island. Donald Trump previously drew scrutiny during a trip to Beijing in May 2026, when he characterized the delayed Taiwanese defense deliveries as an excellent bargaining chip in broader economic negotiations.
Key figures defining the 2026 Washington and Beijing defense talks
The discussions between the two administrations unfolded against a backdrop of frozen military aid packages, previous defense authorizations, and recently negotiated bilateral trade protocols:
- US$ 14 billion: total value of the United States weapons package designated for Taiwan that remains frozen by Donald Trump as negotiation leverage with Beijing
- US$ 11.1 billion: defense assistance package for Taiwan formally approved by United States authorities in December 2025
- US$ 30 billion: approximate value of bilateral merchandise covered under mutual tariff reduction agreements announced between the United States and China following the summit
- 11 years: duration between Xi Jinping’s 2015 state visit under Barack Obama and his return to Washington in September 2026
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Beijing and Washington respond to arms transaction claims
While the United States Department of State dismissed the possibility of transferring defense hardware to China, the Chinese government avoided addressing the offer directly. Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, addressed defense policy during a press briefing on Monday, September 28, 2026.
Guo stated that Beijing “consistently strengthens its national defence capabilities based on its own needs and remains committed to safeguarding world peace and stability.”
It remains unconfirmed whether Donald Trump delivered the inquiry as a formal proposal or in a lighthearted manner, as David Perdue did not clarify the tone of the exchange. Furthermore, officials have not disclosed how Xi Jinping responded to the remark, nor have authorities confirmed whether specific weapon models or defense systems were mentioned during the conversation.
Schedule of upcoming Donald Trump and Xi Jinping summits in 2026
Following the conclusion of bilateral talks in Washington, both administrations confirmed an agenda of diplomatic engagements planned for the remainder of the calendar year:
- Friday, September 25, 2026: conclusion of Xi Jinping’s three-day official state visit to Washington
- Sunday, September 27, 2026: broadcast of the interview featuring David Perdue detailing the weapons discussion
- Monday, September 28, 2026: formal denial by the Department of State and foreign ministry briefing in Beijing
- November 2026: scheduled bilateral summit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting
- December 2026: second scheduled encounter between the leaders during the Group of 20 summit in Miami
Donald Trump confirmed that the next high-level meeting with Xi Jinping will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November, followed by an additional bilateral session during the Group of 20 summit scheduled for December in Miami.
