Trump Denies Discussing Arms Sales With Xi

President Donald Trump denied discussing arms sales to China with Chinese President Xi Jinping, contradicting U.S. Ambassador David Perdue, who said Trump had once asked whether Xi wanted to buy American weapons; Perdue did not say when the question was asked or how Xi responded. The White House said the United States had no plan to sell arms to China, and the State Department said U.S. law prohibits such sales. The disclosure came amid scrutiny of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, including a reported pause in a proposed $14 billion package; Perdue said $11 billion had been approved and U.S. support for Taiwan had not changed. Analysts said selling weapons to China was strategically implausible and inconsistent with longstanding U.S. policy, while warning that even joking about it could unsettle Taiwan and U.S. allies.