Trump Offered to Sell American Weapons to China, Envoy Says

Ambassador David Perdue said Trump directly asked Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons, disclosing the exchange on Fox News Sunday.

• Perdue called the disclosure a surprise, saying Trump raised the offer with Xi personally.
• $14 billion in Taiwan arms sales had been paused amid trade talks and supply constraints.
• $11 billion in Taiwan arms sales has already been approved by Trump, per Perdue.
• China is believed to have acquired sensitive F-35 parts sent to Hong Kong, for unclear reasons.

Why it matters: Taiwan arms policy sits at the center of U.S.-China tensions. Any signal about selling weapons to Beijing — even an informal one — complicates longstanding U.S. commitments to Taiwan's defense.

• The U.S. has long held a policy of strategic ambiguity on whether it would defend Taiwan militarily.

How 4 sources split on this story

What’s next: The White House had not clarified whether Trump's offer to Xi was serious or informal.

• Perdue said U.S. support for Taiwan has not changed and conversations on arms sales continue.
• Was Trump's weapons offer to Xi a genuine policy proposal or an offhand remark?
• How does the paused $14 billion Taiwan sale ultimately resolve amid ongoing negotiations?
• What role did China's F-35 parts acquisition play in U.S.-China weapons discussions?