Rockford, IL, September 27, 2026 —

United States Ambassador to China Terry Branstad has reportedly stated that former President Donald Trump inquired with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the possibility of China purchasing American weaponry. According to Branstad, Trump also reportedly downplayed the significance of a pending United States arms sale to Taiwan during his conversations with Xi.

The specifics of when these discussions took place were not immediately clear. The reports emerge from comments made by Ambassador Branstad, who served in his role during the Trump administration. The nature of the inquiry about China purchasing US arms, and the context in which Trump allegedly downplayed the Taiwan arms sale, have not been further detailed in the available information.

The United States government has historically maintained a policy of selling defensive arms to Taiwan, a move that is a consistent point of tension in relations between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve unification.

Details regarding the precise wording used by President Trump, or the reaction from President Xi Jinping to these remarks, have not been provided. The U.S. Ambassador to China’s office has not released further official statements regarding these reported exchanges. The contractor’s name, if applicable, was not provided. The fine amount was not provided. The inspection outcomes were not provided.


Story summarized from the original created by BEN FINLEY, Associated Press on www.mystateline.com, see more information here.

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