The announcement comes as the president is looking for wins ahead of a tough midterm election for Republicans.

President Trump made the offer to Xi Jinping, China’s leader, said David Perdue, the ambassador to China. The White House later said the U.S. had no plans for such a sale.

The Trump administration is set to launch another overtly political campaign ad funded by taxpayer dollars, attacking the “fake news media” and “the sick political class that hates our country.”

The White House TV pool went dark this past week amid a standoff between CNN and the president. Network leaders, however, believe an indefinite suspension may be untenable.