Trump denies ambassador Perdue's claim he offered to sell arms to China
After Perdue said Trump asked Xi if China wanted to buy US weapons, Trump says he 'never heard of that' and blames a Taiwan mix-up.
Part of a larger narrative
Trump-Xi Summit
- Trump denies ambassador Perdue's claim he offered to sell arms to Chinayou are here
- Trump bars U.S. press from Xi meeting; Chinese state media gains access
- Trump hosts state dinner for Xi Jinping, capping three-day Washington visit
- Trump and Xi agree to $30B tariff cut, establish AI dialogue
- Trump-Xi summit ends in pageantry; scrutiny turns to what was left unsaid
What to know
- Ambassador David Perdue said on Fox News that Trump asked Xi Jinping if China wanted to buy US weapons, a claim reported across major outlets from Bloomberg to the New York Times.
- Trump denied the account on Monday, saying 'I never heard of that' and suggesting Perdue was confusing it with discussions about Taiwan.
- The claim surfaced alongside Trump's reported withholding of a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan, fueling concern the offer would reverse decades of US policy toward Beijing.
- Policy experts and much of the online reaction treated the claim as evidence Trump does not take China's security threat seriously, regardless of the denial.
The dispute Whether Perdue's account reflects an actual, serious policy proposal from Trump or a garbled/misremembered remark about Taiwan, as Trump himself now claims. · positions read across 46 posts and comments
The reported offer is a genuinely alarming security failure, regardless of Trump's denial.
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“This is about as insane as it gets.”
prchovanec.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The story is treated as absurd or darkly comic rather than a serious policy event.
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“"You wanna buy some dethsticks ?" "You don't want to sell me dethsticks." "...I don't want to sell you dethsticks."”
SuperTaster3 · Reddit ↗
China has little real need to buy US weapons given its own industrial and espionage capabilities.
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“They don't have any need for US weapons lmao. They have massive state ran corporate espionage programs and more industrial power in one city metro than we have in like half of the US.”
PlayfulSurprise5237 · Reddit ↗
Donald Trump US President
David Perdue US Ambassador to China
Xi Jinping Chinese President
How it unfolded 6 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments
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6
Experts warn the offer signals China threat unseriousness
Fortune reported policy experts saying that even floating an arms sale to China would be 'unsettling to American partners' and would undermine US efforts to keep China from becoming a military superpower.
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first by Channel News Asia, 18h ago · also New Republic, Bloomberg, Yahoo
2 more headlines
- Trump Team Scrambles After Embarrassing Slip About Arms Sale to China New Republic · 17h ago
- Trump Denies Asking China’s Xi About Potential US Arms Sales Bloomberg Politics · 14h ago
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1 outlet first by Fortune, 14h ago · read ↗
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President Donald Trump disputed that he asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy weapons from the United States, contradicting an account from the U.S. ambassador to China.
2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch
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U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday denied asking Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy American weapons, countering his own envoy's claim that Trump made the offer to his Chinese counterpart. https://www. japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/09/ 29/world/politics/trump-sell-arms-china-xi/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon # worldnews # politics # us #…
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It was a commercial off the shelf product that had no cutting edge or sensitive components. This person is intentionally misrepresenting this to you.
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Trump denies making the offer to Xi
Asked directly by reporters whether Perdue's account was accurate, Trump said he had never heard of it and that China would 'probably like to buy' US equipment but that no such discussion took place; he later suggested Perdue was likely referring to Taiwan.
“I never heard of that. They would probably like to buy it because we make better equipment, but we didn't discuss that.”
— Donald Trump -
first by Anadolu Agency, 13h ago · also Times of India, Washington Examiner, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Japan Times, Straits Times
5 more headlines
- Trump denies offering US weapons to China, contradicts ambassador’s account Times of India · 13h ago
- Trump denies US ambassador claim he offered weapons to China Washington Examiner · 13h ago
- President Trump disputes his ambassador’s account that he asked China’s president if he wanted to buy US arms Chicago Tribune · 12h ago
- Trump disputes his ambassador's account that he asked China's president if he wanted to buy US arms Philadelphia Inquirer · 10h ago
- Trump denies offering to sell arms to China’s Xi Japan Times · 8h ago
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first by The Hill, 13h ago
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Reporter: Ambassador Perdue said that you suggested to President Xi that the US would sell US military equipment to China. Is that accurate? Trump: No, they probably like to buy it because we do make better equipment than them. So maybe it's a good idea.
2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch
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US President Donald Trump offered to sell arms to Beijing in response to concerns over weapons sales to Taiwan, the US ambassador to China said in a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday. In May, Trump suggested an upcoming arms package to Taipei could be used as a negotiating chip with China, raising fears Taiwan's security could be traded…
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Dump is just trying to make money. He doesn't care if he makes security moves that will negate our military secrets. He is killing us all slowly through his greed.
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AP and NYT detail Perdue's remarks and Taiwan context
Outlets reported Perdue's exact wording — that Trump 'actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some, at one point' — while framing it against the pending $14 billion Taiwan arms package and warning the offer would upend generations of US policy.
“actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some, at one point…”
— David Perdue -
first by The Hindu, 1d ago · also Sky News, Baltimore Sun, Mercury News, Orlando Sentinel, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Globe +4
3 more headlines
- Trump asked China's president if he wanted to buy US weapons, says ambassador Sky News · 23h ago
- Trump asked China’s president if he wants to buy US arms, ambassador says Baltimore Sun · 20h ago
- Trump Asked Xi In White House If China Wants To Buy American Weapons: Envoy NDTV · 20h ago
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first by timesofindia.indiatimes.com, 1d ago · also Times of India
1 more headline
- 'Would like to buy some?': Trump offered Xi US weapons as Taiwan deal hangs Times of India · 1d ago
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WTF? Trump’s own Ambassador to China, David Perdue, admitted on Fox News yesterday that Trump personally offered to sell American weapons to Xi Jinping. It appears it was no mistake that China obtained sensitive US technology when F-35 parts including canopy & weapons bay door
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The Art of Desperation... "Trump asked China’s president if he wants to buy US arms, ambassador says" # Taco # Nacho # News # Politics # Nato # Military # Russia # USA # Israel # Oil # MAGA # Democrats # WW3 # War # Tariffs # Europe # EU # UN # China # Iran # Asia # Finance # Economics # Economy # Drones # Navy # Blockade https://…
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They don't have any need for US weapons lmao. They have massive state ran corporate espionage programs and more industrial power in one city metro than we have in like half of the US. As well as most of the world's refineries and rare earth processing. Look up Operation Shady Rat, they already have the blueprints of our f35 they got from a…
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Reaction wave calls the claim alarming
Social media users and commentators reacted with shock, calling the reported offer 'insane' and questioning whether it explained prior leaks of sensitive US military technology to China.
“This is about as insane as it gets.”
— prchovanec.bsky.social -
Trump asked Xi Jinping if China wants to buy US weapons. US ambassador to China David Perdue made the claim on Fox News today. He did not make clear if Trump asked this week, or on another occasion such as at the May summit. https://t.co/BN61Kytrvh via @ft
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Okay...time to take the military away from grandpa "Trump asked China’s president if he wants to buy U.S. arms, ambassador says" # Politics https://www. ctvnews.ca/world/article/trump -asked-chinas-president-if-he-wants-to-buy-us-arms-ambassador-says/
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"You wanna buy some dethsticks ?" "You don't want to sell me dethsticks." "...I don't want to sell you dethsticks." "You want to go home and rethink your life." "...I want to go home and rethink my life." - a better timeline, probably.
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Perdue says Trump offered to sell Xi US weapons
US Ambassador to China David Perdue said in a Fox News interview that Trump had asked Xi Jinping at one point if he would like to buy American armaments, a claim first widely circulated via Bloomberg reporting.
“President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping at one point if he would to like to buy some American armaments, US Ambassador to China David Perdue says.”
— @josh_wingrove (Bloomberg) -
first by MS NOW, 17h ago · also Guardian, Philadelphia Inquirer, CTV News, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, Globe and Mail +2
4 more headlines
- Trump asked Xi Jinping if China would like to buy US weapons, American ambassador says The Guardian · 17h ago
- Trump asked China's president if he wanted to buy US arms, ambassador says Philadelphia Inquirer · 17h ago
- Trump asked China’s president if he wanted to buy U.S. arms, ambassador says Philadelphia Inquirer · 15h ago
- Trump asked Xi if China wanted to buy U.S. arms, ambassador says theglobeandmail.com · 14h ago
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6 outlets first by Straits Times, 1d ago · also NYT, NYT Asia Pacific, Japan Times, Channel News Asia, Euronews · read ↗
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(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping at one point if he would to like to buy some American armaments, US Ambassador to China David Perdue says.
2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
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US Ambassador to China David Perdue says in their recent meeting Trump asked President Xi if China wanted to buy weapons systems from the US.
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President Trump offered China the chance to buy U.S. weapons in an astonishing proposal.
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Taiwan official presses for arms amid summit fallout
A Taipei official said arming Taiwan remained an important US interest after the Trump-Xi summit, as Trump was reported to be withholding a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan.
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first by Jerusalem Post, 3d ago · also Investing.com News, CNBC, Hindustan Times, Reuters
2 more headlines
- Taiwan says US arms support serves American interests after Trump-Xi summit Investing.com News · 3d ago
- Arming Taiwan is an important U.S. interest, Taipei official says after Trump-Xi summit CNBC · 3d ago
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Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by scmp.com, 1d ago · also SCMP, SCMP China
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first by Times of India, 17h ago · also The Times of India
and 4 smaller pieces
What people are saying 11 voices from 4 sites · best of 46 · verbatim
- Did Trump actually make the offer, or is Perdue's account inaccurate or confused with Taiwan discussions?
- If true, would such an offer connect to prior incidents of sensitive US military technology reaching China?
- Yesterday
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He is a danger to America and he must be removed from office ASAP. 2547 immediately.
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Q: Ambassador to China Perdue said that you suggested to Xi that the U.S. would sell U.S. military equipment to China. Is that accurate? Trump: I never heard of that. They would probably like to buy it because we make better equipment, but we didn’t discuss that.
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Turns out, “He’s good at business” isn’t true. But even if it were, treating the presidency like a business venture is the fastest way to kill off the values that democracy needs to function. P.S. US law prohibits arms sales to China. https://www. nytimes.com/2026/09/27/us/poli tics/trump-weapons-sale-china.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
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U.S. President Donald Trump has asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons, the United States' ambassador to Beijing revealed in an extraordinary development. https://www. japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/09/ 28/asia-pacific/politics/trump-sell-weapons-china/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon # asiapacific # politics #…
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Xi referenced avoiding the Thucydides Trap (i.e. when a rising power goes to war with the ruling power) and I can imagine Trump did not have a clue what he was talking about. He probably thought he was talking about a honey trap which, I’m sure, Trump has been caught in many a time.
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I think they're trying to set up a self coup, but not against Trump but against congress. Much easier to unite the party in abolishing congress if you don't control congress.
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"David Perdue said Trump raised the prospect of the arms sales from the U.S. to its ascendant geopolitical rival, an unlikely offer that if consummated would upend generations of U.S. policy toward China and Taiwan and potentially expose U.S. technology to a potential foe." https://www. ctvnews.ca/world/article/trump…
- Sep 27
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Woah. Woah. That's a strong accusation. When does a little trade here and there hurt anybody? Tommy, how'd accidentally dropping 500 rocket launchers off our logi trucks go?
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their own sea Please tell me you're not referring to the South China Sea as wholly Chinese owned because of the name assigned to it. Their claims over the Spratly Islands are dubious at best.
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NEWS: U.S. Amb. to China revealed that Trump offered to sell China U.S. weapons systems during his meeting with dictator Xi Jinping. Perdue disclosed this detail in a Fox News interview, noting that Trump remarked, "Hey, we sell guns to other people around the world," before extending the offer to communist dictator Xi. The US then, will be…
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trump and Xi are on the same team: Team Autocracy. Their team is doing whatever it can to destroy democracy and the rule of law to make the world a safe space for dictators everywhere.