{
  "id": 10575273,
  "title": "Trump denies offering to sell arms to China’s Xi, but says ‘maybe it’s a good idea’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/trump-denies-offering-to-sell-arms-to-chinas-xi-but-says-maybe-its-a",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T01:06:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press-hongkongfp",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/09/29/trump-denies-offering-to-sell-arms-to-chinas-xi-but-says-maybe-its-a-good-idea/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that he never asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he wanted to purchase American weapons, despite claims by US Ambassador to China David Perdue. Perdue, speaking on Fox News, said Trump asked Xi if he would like to buy some American arms during a state visit to the White House. However, a US official clarified to AFP that the US government has no plans to sell weapons to China. The issue of US arms sales to Taiwan, a self-governed island China claims as part of its territory, has long been a contentious topic between the two nations. US law prohibits arms sales to China, and the Chinese foreign ministry did not address the allegations but affirmed its commitment to maintaining peace and stability. The US has approved an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, described by Perdue as the largest sale to Taiwan since 1979, and paused a $14 billion purchase in May, viewing it as a \"negotiating chip\" in discussions with China.",
  "summary": "US President Donald Trump on Monday denied asking Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy American weapons, countering his own envoy’s claim that Trump made the offer to his Chinese counterpart. US Ambassador to China David Perdue told Fox News on Sunday that Trump made the extraordinary offer to sell arms to the rival superpower. […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Trump denied offering to sell arms to China's Xi.",
    "US Ambassador to China David Perdue claimed Trump asked Xi about purchasing American weapons.",
    "US government has no plans to sell weapons to China."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Trump's wavering stance on selling arms to China introduces uncertainty into already tense relations, potentially complicating US-China negotiations over Taiwan.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Trump denies offering Iran sanctions relief, release of frozen funds",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/trump-denies-offering-iran-sanctions-relief-release-of-frozen-funds",
        "published": "2026-09-29T00:02:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hong Kong Free Press",
        "title": "Trump denies offering to sell arms to China’s Xi, but says ‘maybe it’s a good idea’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/trump-denies-offering-to-sell-arms-to-chinas-xi-but-says-maybe-its-a-10579332",
        "published": "2026-09-29T01:06:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "'I offered nothing’: Trump denies sanctions relief to Iran, bashes media report",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/i-offered-nothing-trump-denies-sanctions-relief-to-iran-bashes-media",
        "published": "2026-09-29T02:08:56.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}