Trump told Xi ‘I don’t talk about’ whether U.S. would defend Taiwan from China

President Donald Trump said Friday that he refused to directly answer Chinese President Xi Jinping when asked if the United States would defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China.

“That question was asked to me today,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as they flew back to the United States from a two-day summit in Beijing.

“That question was asked to me today by President Xi. I said I don’t talk about that,” the president said.

Trump’s comment came in response to a reporter who had asked if the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack.

“I don’t want to say that,” Trump replied.

“There’s only one person that knows that. You know who it is? Me. I’m the only person,” he said, before noting that Xi had asked the same question of him earlier.

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