Trump disputes his ambassador's account that he asked China's president if he wanted to buy US arms

President Donald Trump stirred confusion on Monday when asked about remarks from the U.S. ambassador to China, David Perdue, claiming the president had asked him if he was interested in purchasing American weapons. Initially appearing baffled, Trump suggested Perdue might have mixed up China with Taiwan, then stated he "maybe" thought it was a good idea to extend such an offer to China.

This comes amid a series of contradictory statements from the Trump administration regarding potential arms sales to China, which contradicts U.S. law that prohibits such sales to the country. The State Department swiftly distanced itself from Perdue's comments, reiterating that no such offer or plan exists. However, Trump's comments suggest a potential shift in U.S. policy towards China, questioning the longstanding practice of supplying arms to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing views as a breakaway province.

Experts note that Trump's approach to China is often transactional, viewing military aid and market access as tools of leverage, even with potential adversaries.