U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue stated on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, that President Donald Trump floated selling American weapons to Chinese President Xi Jinping during recent meetings. In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Perdue said the president asked Xi if he would like to purchase arms, noting that the U.S. sells weapons to other nations globally. President Trump later disputed this account.
The reports followed a visit by President Xi to Washington, D.C., which concluded on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. This visit marked Xi's second state visit to the U.S. and his first in 11 years. Following the meetings, Trump described the encounter on Truth Social as one of "Friendship, Strength, and Success," and announced two additional meetings with Xi scheduled for November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting and December at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Miami.
Richard Spencer, a China correspondent for The Times, stated that a congressional act prohibits the U.S. from discussing its arms sales to Taiwan with Beijing. Spencer noted that Xi has delivered an "effective veto" regarding a U.S. arms deal with Taiwan. The U.S. and China have maintained a relationship involving competition in artificial intelligence development and disagreements over Taiwanese sovereignty, as well as Chinese alliances with U.S. adversaries such as Iran.
For the average citizen, these developments could influence domestic defense spending and manufacturing jobs. However, because no formal agreement has been reached, there is no immediate change to tax rates, retail prices, or personal military obligations. The move also impacts diplomatic protocols, as the U.S. and China continue to compete in technology sectors like artificial intelligence. Critics from both major political parties have expressed concerns regarding the relationship and China's existing ties to nations like Iran.
What happens next depends on the upcoming diplomatic schedule. President Trump and President Xi are next scheduled to meet in November 2026 for the APEC meeting. A subsequent meeting is planned for December 2026 during the G20 summit in Miami. It is not yet known if formal weapons trade negotiations will be added to the agendas for these summits.
Explain any jargon: The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an intergovernmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade. The Group of 20 (G20) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union, focused on international financial stability. A "state visit" is a formal visit by a head of state to a foreign country at the invitation of that country's head of state.