A recently released 2024 audio recording broadcast by CNN captures former President Donald Trump speaking with wealthy donors about controversial conversations he claimed to have had with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the recording, Trump boasted that he warned Putin he would “bomb the sh*t out of Moscow” if Russia invaded Ukraine. Trump said Putin didn’t believe him fully, but “believed me 10%.”
However, the Kremlin quickly disputed Trump’s account. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Putin, stated there were no calls between Trump and Putin at the time the conversation supposedly occurred. Peskov emphasized that Trump was not president at the time and suggested the claims might be fabricated, noting the prevalence of fake news: “There are a lot of fakes now—often more fakes than real information.”
In addition to Putin, Trump also claimed in the same conversation that he had a similarly stern warning for Chinese President Xi Jinping, allegedly threatening to bomb Beijing if China moved to invade Taiwan. These assertions, though unverified, are consistent with Trump’s narrative that his aggressive rhetoric deterred foreign aggression during his presidency. CNN credits journalists Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager, and Isaac Arnsdorf for obtaining and documenting the audio in their 2024 book.
The White House responded to the revelations by reiterating Trump’s longstanding position that Russia never dared invade Ukraine while he was in office, suggesting that his leadership projected strength. The Trump camp uses these claims to bolster his foreign policy record, especially in contrast to the ongoing war in Ukraine under President Biden.
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump recently expressed frustration with Putin, telling reporters after a cabinet meeting that he was no longer pleased with the Russian leader. “We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin,” Trump said, signaling a more critical stance. He hinted at new sanctions against Russia and approved further U.S. arms support for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reportedly requested immediate assistance, as the conflict continues to escalate. The controversial audio and Trump’s public statements have reignited debate over his approach to global diplomacy and national security.
