--- title: "Trump asked Xi about buying US weapons, ambassador claims" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-asked-xi-about-buying-us-weapons-ambassador-claims" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-asked-xi-about-buying-us-weapons-ambassador-claims" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-asked-xi-about-buying-us-weapons-ambassador-claims.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-asked-xi-about-buying-us-weapons-ambassador-claims" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-28T08:05:27.506Z" source_reported: "2026-09-28T07:25:38.000Z" updated: "2026-09-28T08:05:27.506Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-28T08:00:22.285833+00:00" --- # Trump asked Xi about buying US weapons, ambassador claims *White House denies plans to sell arms to China, citing US law.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to a named source, but relies on anonymous sourcing for the denial. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. The story is reported by multiple outlets, but lacks direct quotes from affected parties or comment from opponents. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. The headline promises a denial that is only partially supported by the body of the reporting. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - US Ambassador to China David Perdue stated that President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons. - The White House has officially stated that the US has no plans to sell arms to China. - A State Department official confirmed that US law prohibits arms sales to China. - The Trump administration had previously kept a $14bn arms sale package to Taiwan in abeyance. US Ambassador to China David Perdue claimed that President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons. Perdue made the statement on Sunday during an interview on Fox News, discussing the Chinese president's recent visit to Washington. The White House has since stated that the US has no plans to sell arms to China. A State Department official confirmed that US law prohibits arms sales to China. ## Disagreement on Trump's offer While US Ambassador to China David Perdue stated that President Trump asked Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy American weapons, the White House, through an official, said the US has no plans to sell arms to China. A State Department official added that US law prohibits such sales. Some reports noted that spokespeople for the White House and State Department declined to comment when asked whether Trump made the proposal during the recent meeting with Xi or in a previous meeting. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated, centre-rated, or right-rated reports below mention the specific details of the conversation between President Trump and President Xi Jinping regarding the potential arms sale, beyond Ambassador Perdue's claim that Trump asked if Xi would like to buy weapons. The specific wording of Trump's question or Xi's response, if any, is not detailed in the provided digests or full reports. ## Who covered it Shares of the 11 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 64% (7) - Centre: 18% (2) - Right: 18% (2) 10 of 21 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-28T08:00:22.285833+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-28T08:15:39.393Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Seven left-rated reports led on the claim by US Ambassador to China David Perdue that President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons. These reports also included the White House's denial of any plans to sell arms to China and the confirmation that US law prohibits such sales. The Independent's full report mentioned that the Trump administration has kept a $14bn arms sale package to Taiwan in abeyance, which Trump called a 'very good negotiating chip'. The reports also noted that China is considered the greatest rival to the US by most policymakers and legislators of both parties. ### Centre - The single centre-rated report highlighted US Ambassador to China David Perdue's claim that President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons. It also included the White House's statement that the US has no plans to sell arms to China and the State Department's confirmation that US law prohibits such sales. The report noted that China is considered by most US policymakers and legislators of both parties to be the greatest military, economic and diplomatic rival of the US. It also mentioned that the Trump administration has kept a $14bn arms sale package to Taiwan in abeyance. ### Right - Two right-rated reports focused on the White House's denial of plans to sell weapons to China, citing The Wall Street Journal. These reports stated that the US has no plans to sell American weapons to China and has not made such an offer. They also mentioned that US law prohibits such deals with Beijing. One report included that US Ambassador to China David Perdue claimed on Fox News that Trump had asked Xi Jinping if he 'would like' to buy American weapons. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 1 - high: 8 - unknown: 10 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-china-weapons-xi-us-ambassador-b3057327.html) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador claims - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-china-weapons-xi-us-ambassador-b3057327.html) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador claims - [Nieuws.nl](https://nieuws.nl/buitenland/witte-huis-ontkent-dat-er-wapenverkopen-aan-china-worden-gepland) — White House Denies that Arms Sales to China Are Being Planned - [welingelichtekringen.nl](https://welingelichtekringen.nl/samenleving/witte-huis-ontkent-dat-er-wapenverkopen-aan-china-worden-gepland) — White House Denies that Arms Sales to China Are Being Planned - [asriran.com](https://asriran.com/fa/news/1194694/%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%86%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%85) — US: We Have No Plans to Sell Weapons to China - [Jordan News | Latest News from Jordan, MENA](https://jordannews.jo/Section-111/All/Washington-Denies-Plans-to-Sell-Weapons-to-China-56610) — Washington Denies Plans to Sell Weapons to China - [tabnak.ir](https://tabnak.ir/fa/news/1396320/%D9%88%D8%A7%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%B4-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%B4%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%86%DB%8C%D9%86) — US Reaction to Proposed Arms Sales to China - [Sydney Morning Herald](https://smh.com.au/world/north-america/trump-offered-to-sell-arms-to-china-us-ambassador-says-20260928-p6112q.html) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador says - [The Age](https://theage.com.au/world/north-america/trump-offered-to-sell-arms-to-china-us-ambassador-says-20260928-p6112q.html) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador says - [Brisbane Times](https://brisbanetimes.com.au/world/north-america/trump-offered-to-sell-arms-to-china-us-ambassador-says-20260928-p6112q.html) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador says - [WA today](https://watoday.com.au/world/north-america/trump-offered-to-sell-arms-to-china-us-ambassador-says-20260928-p6112q.html) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador says - [PressNewsAgency](https://pressnewsagency.org/trump-offered-to-sell-arms-to-china-us-ambassador-says-2) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador says - [Apa](https://apa.az/america/wsj-abs-cine-silah-satmagi-planlasdirmir-999959) — WSJ: US Has No Plans to Sell Arms to China - [aljazeera.net](https://aljazeera.net/news/2026/9/28/%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b4%d9%86%d8%b7%d9%86-%d8%aa%d9%86%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%ae%d8%b7%d8%b7%d8%a7-%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b9-%d8%a3%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%ad%d8%a9-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%b5%d9%8a%d9%86-%d8%a8%d8%b9%d8%af) — Washington Denies Plans to Sell Weapons to China. - [snn.ir](https://snn.ir/fa/news/1461584/%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A6%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B4-%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%86%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%AA%DA%A9%D8%B0%DB%8C%D8%A8-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF) — US Officials Deny Selling Weapons to China - [fakti.bg](https://fakti.bg/world/1084316-wsj-sasht-namat-planove-da-prodavat-orajia-na-kitai) — WSJ: US Has No Plans to Sell Weapons to China - [Life.ru](https://life.ru/p/wsj-ssha-ne-planiruyut-prodavat-oruzhie-kitayu) — WSJ: The US Does Not Plan to Sell Weapons to China - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/09/28/2625206.html) — The United States does not plan to sell American weapons to China - [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-offered-to-sell-arms-to-china-us-ambassador-says) — Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador says - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/b4830f4171e8ee19) — US said to deny plans to sell weapons to China - [Unknown](https://voachinese.com/a/us-official-says-no-plans-for-china-arms-sales-after-ambassador-s-trump-xi-disclosure-20260927/8205244.html) — US Officials Clarified that They Have No Intention of Selling Arms to China, and the US Ambassador to China Stated that President Trump Had Asked Xi Jinping Whether He Would Be Willing to Buy US Weapons. ## Questions **Did Donald Trump offer to sell weapons to China?** US Ambassador to China David Perdue claimed that President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons. However, the White House has officially denied any plans to sell arms to China. **Does US law allow arms sales to China?** No, US law prohibits arms sales to China. A State Department official confirmed this, and the White House has stated that there are no plans or offers to sell arms to China. **What is the US stance on selling arms to China?** The White House has stated that the US has no plans to sell weapons to China. This statement follows claims by US Ambassador to China David Perdue that President Trump had inquired about Xi Jinping's interest in purchasing American weapons. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-asked-xi-about-buying-us-weapons-ambassador-claims. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump asked Xi about buying US weapons, ambassador claims", https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-asked-xi-about-buying-us-weapons-ambassador-claims