Trump denied discussing arms sales to China during a meeting with President Xi, but suggested China might be interested in U.S. equipment. U.S. Ambassador David Perdue claimed Trump offered Xi the idea, which could disrupt decades of U.S. policy toward Taiwan.
Perdue, speaking to Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday, said Trump downplayed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan as just one of many global sales. Perdue insisted Trump is 'as strong on Taiwan as I've ever seen anybody' and that both leaders continue talks on future sales.
The U.S. is bound by law to support Taiwan's defense, but Trump's comments could be seen as transactional, prioritizing commercial leverage over military commitments. China has previously pressured Washington to halt arms sales, with past summit meetings leading to pauses in major packages.
The U.S. and China have differing views on Taiwan's status, with China insisting it is not a country and urging Washington to stop arms sales. The U.S. remains Taiwan's primary arms provider, though leadership has left military intervention in case of invasion ambiguous.