Former President Donald Trump joked about starting a war between Russia and China in an address to Republican donors in New Orleans on Saturday.
Mr. Trump, who also hinted at a 2024 presidential run in the private speech, criticized NATO for doing too little to help embattled Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, CBS News reported.
Mr. Trump then joked that the United States should “put the Chinese flag” on F-22 fighter jets, send them to Ukraine and “bomb the s—-” out of Russia.”
Mr. Trump joked that the U.S. could blame China for the attack.
“Then they start fighting with each other and we sit back and watch,” he said.
The remarks, first reported by The Washington Post, were intended as a joke and elicited laughter from the audience.
In the address to donors, CBS reported, Mr. Trump called NATO “a paper tiger” and said it was doing little to stop Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine.
“Are all of these nations going to stand by and watch perhaps millions of people be slaughtered as the onslaught continues?” Mr. Trump said, according to CBS. “At what point do countries say, ’No, we can’t take this massive crime against humanity?’ We can’t let it happen. We can’t let it continue to happen.”
U.S. officials are looking at ways to supply Ukraine with Soviet-era fighter jets from Poland, but Polish officials haven’t agreed to the deal.
The United States has authorized providing $350 million in military aid to Ukraine and most of it has reached the country, U.S. officials said.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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