- Donald Trump privately claimed he threatened to “bomb the sh*t out of Moscow” to deter Russia from invading Ukraine, according to leaked audio.
- The former president also said he warned China’s Xi Jinping of bombing Beijing over any Taiwan invasion.
- Russia dismissed Trump’s remarks as “American showmanship” but warned against dangerous escalation rhetoric.
- Trump used the fundraiser to push aggressive foreign policy, threaten student protestors, and extract massive donations from wealthy allies.
In a revelation that has sent tremors through diplomatic circles from Washington to Moscow, The U.S. President Donald Trump privately boasted that he once warned Russian President Vladimir Putin he would “bomb the sh*t out of Moscow” if Russia invaded Ukraine.
The explosive threat, revealed through secret audio recordings obtained by CNN, adds another chapter to the tumultuous and theatrical saga of Trump’s foreign policy—a style marked by bravado, unpredictability, and the politics of intimidation.
“With Putin I said, ‘If you go into Ukraine, I’m going to bomb the sht out of Moscow. I’m telling you I have no choice,’*” Trump told wealthy donors during a 2024 fundraiser. The room, reportedly filled with titans of industry and power brokers, heard Trump recount how Putin remained skeptical—believing him, in Trump’s own words, “only 10%.”
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But it wasn’t just Russia in Trump’s crosshairs. In the same closed-door event, the former president claimed he issued a similar warning to Chinese President Xi Jinping over any potential invasion of Taiwan, declaring that the U.S. would bomb Beijing in retaliation. “He thought I was crazy,” Trump quipped about Xi, before adding with characteristic bravado: “But we never had a problem.“
These off-the-cuff threats, never before publicly aired, were captured in a series of fundraiser audio tapes obtained by journalists Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager, and Isaac Arnsdorf for their new political exposé “2024.” The recordings paint a vivid portrait of Trump as the self-styled master negotiator who believes fear—not diplomacy—is the ultimate currency of global power.
A President of Provocation
For Trump, who is once again vying for the presidency, these stories serve a dual purpose: reinforcing his image as a “strongman” and discrediting President Joe Biden’s handling of ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. “If I had been president,” Trump told donors, “none of this would have happened.“
READ MORE: Trump said he threatened to bomb Moscow if Putin attacked Ukraine, 2024 fundraiser tapes show
But the claim is not without controversy—or consequence.
The Kremlin Responds
The reaction from Moscow was swift and icy. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Trump’s claims as “classic American showmanship,” but warned that such rhetoric, even in retrospect, reveals a dangerous disregard for international stability.
“It is precisely this kind of unhinged language that brings the world closer to the brink,” Peskov told Russian media. “The Russian Federation has always advocated for strategic balance—not threats of nuclear escalation.“
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Russian state television, often a barometer of official sentiment, seized on the comments to reinforce a longstanding narrative of Western aggression, portraying Trump as further proof that American foreign policy is inherently hostile toward Moscow.
“It is clear now more than ever,” one commentator intoned, “that Russia must remain vigilant against any U.S. administration, past or future, that threatens our sovereignty.“
A Glimpse Into the Shadow Campaign
The audio tapes reveal not only Trump’s foreign policy mindset but also his private political strategy—a blend of blunt force, wealth-driven influence, and culture war provocations. At one fundraiser, Trump vowed to deport student protesters, particularly those demonstrating for Palestinian rights on U.S. campuses.
“One thing I’d do is any student that protests, I would throw them out of the country,” he said, pledging to “stop it” by revoking visas and clamping down on dissent.
When a donor expressed concern that these students might one day lead the country, Trump responded with calculated urgency: “If you get me elected, we will set that movement back 25 to 30 years.“
The Money Game
In a masterclass of political fundraising, Trump also bragged about coaxing one wealthy donor from offering $1 million to ultimately pledging $25 million for just a lunch meeting. “You have to have the courage to ask,” he told his audience, underscoring the transactional nature of his campaign.
He lamented the Republican disadvantage in attracting money, claiming “the welfare people will always vote for Democrats” and urging his “Jewish friends” to push more donors toward the GOP cause.
A Dangerous Dance with Power
Trump’s leaked comments open a window into a leader who views foreign policy not as careful statecraft but as high-stakes poker—where the loudest threat wins the pot. While some supporters see this as strength, critics warn it’s the very recklessness that could ignite real-world conflict.
As Russia, China, and America continue their tense dance of diplomacy and deterrence, Trump’s dramatic words, captured in private but now broadcast worldwide, remind us all of the thin line between bravado and catastrophe.