Trump’s Ambassador to China said on Sunday (September 27, 2026). President Donald Trump has justified the pending U.S. arms sale to Taiwan to Chinese President Xi Jinping by downplaying it as just one of many sales Washington makes around the world — even asking Mr. Xi if he’d be in the market for U.S. arms, Mr.
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. Mr. Trump hosted Mr. Xi for a state visit in Washington, didn’t specify when the offer was made. Ms. Bream had cited concerns from Republican and Democratic lawmakers over delayed aid packages and weapons orders to Taiwan, the self-ruled democracy, to defend itself from China’s threat to invade the island. Ms. Bream asked if the U.S. is denying Taiwan to appease the Chinese president, who visited Mr. Trump last week.
David Perdue said Mr. Perdue, speaking to Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday” days after Mr.
In their private talks at the White House last week, Mr. Xi pressed Mr.
Trump to oppose Taiwan independence, according to Chinese state media.
After that meeting, the United States paused the sale of a record-breaking $14 billion package — and Mr. Mr. Perdue pushed back on the suggestion, stating that Mr. Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi continue to talk about future U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan. “He actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some, at one point. China has pressed Washington to halt the arms sales, most prominently during a previous summit in May between Mr. Xi in Beijing.
Trump “is as strong on Taiwan as I’ve ever seen anybody” and has sold it plenty of weapons. Perdue also said Mr. “But President Trump continues to say, Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world,’” Mr. Perdue said. Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with China.
