President Donald Trump reportedly issues a chilling threat to Vladimir Putin, warning that he would “bomb the s*** out of Moscow” if Russia moved forward with an invasion of Ukraine.
The claim was reportedly made during a fundraising event last year, according to audio obtained by CNN.
During the event, part of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, he recounted the alleged exchange: “With Putin I said, ‘If you go into Ukraine, I’m going to bomb the s*** out of Moscow. I’m telling you, I have no choice.’”
Trump then claimed the Russian president responded with skepticism: “‘I don’t believe you.’ But he believed me 10%,” Trump added.
Trump made a similar claim about Chinese President Xi Jinping, suggesting he told Xi he would bomb Beijing if China invaded Taiwan. “He thought I was crazy,” Trump said, “but we never had a problem.”
These remarks were reportedly made at donor events in New York and Florida and are detailed in a new book titled 2024.
The resurfaced audio comes as Trump, now back in the Oval Office after taking office again in January, faces ongoing questions about how he plans to approach the war in Ukraine.
Though he had previously insisted he could end the conflict within 24 hours, per NBC, he admitted this week that resolving the war has proven “tougher” than expected.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump criticized Putin and expressed concern over the human toll of the war. “I’m not happy with him, I can tell you that much right now. This is killing a lot of people, on both sides,” he said, via The New York Times.
His comments mark a notable shift in tone for a leader who has often spoken favorably of Putin in the past.
Though Trump once appeared closely aligned with the Russian president, his recent remarks signal a more critical stance.
The Cabinet meeting also followed a major policy reversal: Trump announced the U.S. will resume sending weapons to Ukraine, after previously pausing military aid due to concerns over diminishing U.S. stockpiles, the BBC reports.
The decision underscores the administration’s renewed commitment to supporting Ukraine as the conflict shows no signs of abating.