In a newly surfaced audio clip making waves online, former President Donald Trump can allegedly be heard claiming he threatened to bomb both Moscow and Beijing during conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The recording, obtained by CNN, features Trump recounting what he says were private exchanges with the two world leaders, boasting that his aggressive posture served as a deterrent.
“With Putin, I said, ‘If you go into Ukraine, I’m gonna bomb the s**t out of Moscow. I’m telling you, I have no choice,’” Trump is heard saying. “He said, ‘No way.’ I said, ‘Way!’”
He then describes a similar exchange with Xi Jinping:
“I said, ‘If you go into Taiwan, I’m gonna bomb the s**t out of Beijing.’ He said I was crazy.”
Trump went on to claim that both leaders were “shocked” by his blunt warnings but believed him just enough to back off.
“They believed me 10 per cent,” Trump continued. “And 10 per cent is all you need. In fact, 5 per cent would have been OK too.”
Part of 2024 Fundraiser Recordings
According to CNN, the audio comes from private fundraiser events held in New York and Florida in 2024, where Trump was speaking to a room full of donors while building momentum for his campaign against then-President Joe Biden. The tapes were sourced by Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager, and Isaac Arnsdorf, authors of the book “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America.”
The remarks appear to be part of Trump’s broader effort to contrast his foreign policy approach with Biden’s, positioning himself as a no-nonsense leader who could deter aggression through sheer unpredictability.
Timing and Context
The leak comes as Trump ramps up criticism of Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Earlier this week, Trump justified sending defensive aid to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying:
“He’s [Putin] killing too many people, so we’re sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine—and I’ve approved it.”
The audio also aligns with Trump’s recent rhetoric about his self-proclaimed successes in international diplomacy, including claims that he prevented wars between India and Pakistan, and helped ease tensions between Congo and Rwanda.
While the Kremlin and Beijing have not responded to the claims in the recording, the comments are drawing renewed scrutiny as Trump continues to assert his dominance in foreign policy—even through stories some critics are calling exaggerated or unverifiable.
