Former US president Donald Trump claimed that under his presidency, China would not risk challenging him as the Chinese President Xi Jinping is well aware of him being “crazy,” reported BBC.
Talking to the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board, Trump stated that he will not need to resort to military action to avert a blockade of Taiwan because Jinping “respects me [Trump] and he knows I’m crazy”.
“I would say, if you go into Taiwan, I’m sorry to do this, I’m going to tax you at 150% to 200%,” further elaborated Trump.
Speaking of his relations with Xi Jinping, Trump said: “I had a very strong relationship with him. He was actually a really good, I don’t want to say friend, I don’t want to act foolish, ‘he was my friend’ but I got along with him great.”
“He’s a very fierce person,” Trump pronounced.
Notably, the bilateral relations between US and China have remained strained throughout the past years. Despite Americans having harsh public opinion on rival state, Trump has once before praised Jinping as well.
“Think of President Xi. Central casting, brilliant guy. You know, when I say he’s brilliant, everyone says, oh that’s terrible,” said Trump while attending a Fox News Townhall in Iowa in 2023.
“Well, he runs 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. Smart, brilliant, everything perfect. There’s nobody in Hollywood like this guy,” he further added.
Earlier on another occasion, the Republican also shed light on his personal relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying: “I got along with him great.”
But reflecting back at it, Trump told the WSJ that he also threatened Putin not to invade Ukraine.
“I’m going to hit you right in the middle of fricking Moscow. I said, We’re friends. I don’t want to do it, but I have no choice.’ He goes, ‘No way.’ I said, Way,” said Trump to Putin as per his statement.
He additionally went on to say: “I said, ‘You’re going to be hit so hard, and I’m going to take those domes right off your head.’ Because, you know, he lives under the domes.”
