In a leaked audio recording from a 2024 fundraiser, Donald Trump claimed he warned Vladimir Putin that if Russia invaded Ukraine, he’d “bomb the sh*t out of Moscow.” He said Putin only half-believed him. Trump also reportedly told Chinese President Xi Jinping he’d bomb Beijing if China invaded Taiwan, adding, “He thought I was crazy… but we never had a problem.”

Though Trump hasn’t publicly addressed the comments, the tape suggests a much tougher stance behind closed doors than his usual public tone.

The Kremlin responded, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying there were no calls between Putin and Trump while Trump was out of office. “Whether it’s fake or not, we don’t know,” Peskov added, noting fake stories are common nowadays.

The audio has stirred fresh debate over Trump’s foreign policy — often unpredictable, but always aimed at appearing strong.