According to a report by CNN, former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed in audio recordings that he had previously tried to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from attacking Ukraine by threatening to bomb Moscow.
اضافة اعلان
In the recording, reportedly captured during a 2024 fundraising event, Trump said:
"I told Putin: If you go into Ukraine, I’m going to bomb Moscow in retaliation. I told him, I have no choice."
He added that Putin seemed skeptical, saying:
"He looked like he didn’t believe me — but he believed me 10 percent."
CNN further reported that Trump made a similar threat to Chinese President Xi Jinping, warning him against invading Taiwan, saying the U.S. would bomb Beijing in response.
"Xi thought I was crazy, but I never had a problem with that," Trump said.
These statements were made while Trump was defending his candidacy for a second presidential term. The audio recordings, taken at fundraising events in New York and Florida, revealed a bolder and more aggressive side of Trump that he shared behind closed doors with wealthy donors. In addition to his foreign policy approach, Trump reportedly discussed plans to deport student protesters opposing Israel over the Gaza war.
CNN noted that Trump referenced his talks with both Putin and Xi to argue that conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza would not have occurred if he were president instead of Joe Biden — a claim he continues to make while promising to end both wars.
On Tuesday, Trump expressed frustration with Putin for resisting a peace deal, saying during a cabinet meeting:
"I’m not happy with Putin. I’m very disappointed."
In another fundraising event, Trump bragged about pressuring wealthy allies to donate tens of millions to his campaign. In yet another, he highlighted his administration’s efforts to deport student protesters.
Speaking at a second closed-door fundraiser, Trump pledged to crack down on pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations, stating:
"One of the things I’ll do is deport any student who protests."
He added:
"They made a big mistake — deport them. I think that’ll stop them."
When one donor expressed concern that some protesting students might one day run the country, Trump urged attendees to "give generously" to help him win the election.
"If you get me elected," he said, "we’ll turn this movement back 25 to 30 years."
CNN added that Trump has sought to fulfill this promise since taking office, leading to ongoing legal battles between the White House and the courts over the scope of his mass deportation campaign, including efforts to revoke visas for certain students.
Trump also boasted about convincing a wealthy donor — who initially offered $1 million for a lunch meeting — to increase his donation to $25 million.
"He did it. Gave me 25 million dollars. It’s insane," Trump said.
