Donald Trump said in a brief Oval Office statement that he never offered U.S. weapons to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The denial came after U.S. Ambassador David Purdue claimed earlier in the week that Trump had suggested a sale to Xi.
The U.S. has long restricted arms sales to China, approving only a handful of transactions in recent years due to national‑security concerns.
A Shenzhen‑based technology firm that had hoped to secure U.S. military contracts announced it would now seek alternative partners following the denial.
The State Department is expected to issue a formal clarification on the ambassador’s remarks, while diplomatic talks between Washington and Beijing continue to stall.