“I stand here today, and I’m the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent – and very easily – World War III,” said former President Donald Trump Saturday during the Conservative Political Action Coalition conference.
During his roughly 90-minute speech, the 2024 presidential candidate talked about his relations with various nations and world leaders – including Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin.
He claimed that his relationship with Putin prevented Russia from invading Ukraine during his term in office. Trump said it would not have happened if he was president.
“I got along with Vladimir Putin very well. I said ‘Vladimir, don’t do it. You know, you and I are friends, don’t take over any counties, cause you know, Moscow will be hit very hard,’” said Trump.
Russia previously illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, while President Barack Obama was in office. Last February, it began a continuing invasion of Ukraine that has claimed thousands of civilians’ lives.
Trump admitted that Putin “probably didn’t believe it, but, you know what, he believed it 10%," regarding his threat to hit Moscow.
He said the same thing about Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in that case regarding Trump’s threats of increased tariffs.
“In 2018, the U.S. slapped tariffs on the country and slowly increased them (while China responded almost in kind) until a short detente in December of that year,” said a 2020 Business Insider opinion piece about Trump’s foreign policy moves.
“Never allow Russia and China to get together,” said Trump. “We’ve not only allowed it, we’ve made them bosom buddies.”
Trump also made a claim that the ISIS caliphate was 100% defeated due to his administration’s actions. This claim has been disputed, according to The George Washington University History News Network.
“I had them in a box,” said Trump of Iran during the CPAC speech.
He also mentioned U.S. gear left behind in Afghanistan after troops were pulled out in 2021. According to an Associated Press fact check report, “the Taliban have seized both political power and significant U.S.-supplied firepower in their whirlwind takeover of Afghanistan, recovering guns, ammunition, helicopters and other modern military equipment from Afghan forces who surrendered it,” but the actual amounts have been inflated in statements made by Trump and other members of the GOP.
Now, the former president said he thinks the U.S. is in danger and he laid some of the blame on President Joe Biden.
“This is the most dangerous time in the history of our country, and Joe Biden is leading us into oblivion,” he said, later adding “you’re going to have World War III, if something doesn’t happen fast.”
A straw poll taken during the conference revealed that the majority of attendees (62%) would vote for Trump in 2024 out of a list of potential candidates. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis followed with 20%. Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy have also announced their intention to run – both had under 5%.
Morning Consult poll tracking updated Tuesday also showed Trump in the GOP lead with 53%, compared to DeSantis with 28%. As of Tuesday, Biden had not officially announced his campaign, though he has indicated that he will run for a second term.
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