Donald Trump’s stance on Russia appears to have shifted. While he once spoke favorably of President Vladimir Putin
and claimed he could end the Ukraine war “within 24 hours,” a leaked audio tape obtained by CNN paints a more aggressive picture.
In the 2024 campaign recording, Trump reportedly told donors he threatened to “bomb the sh*t out of Moscow”
if Putin invaded Ukraine. Trump recalled Putin saying, “I don’t believe you,” but added, “He believed me 10%.”
Trump also claimed he warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that he would bomb Beijing over
any aggression toward Taiwan, saying Xi “thought I was crazy,” but “we never had a problem.”
The Kremlin responded cautiously. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov neither confirmed nor denied Trump’s threat,
but stated there were no calls between Trump and Putin during the time Trump wasn’t in office.
He also questioned the authenticity of the audio, saying, “There are a lot of fakes now.”
While Trump hasn’t publicly commented on the leaked tape, the remarks signal a possible change in tone compared to his earlier praise of Putin.
As tensions remain high over Ukraine and Taiwan, the resurfaced audio is sparking renewed debate about Trump’s foreign policy approach.