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The Kremlin has dismissed these claims. Putin's spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied that any such conversation took place, stating, "There were no phone calls at that time," implying the incident occurred before Trump's presidency—during the period when Biden was in the White House.
Trump's bravado extended to China as well; he reportedly warned Chinese President Xi Jinping that any attempt to seize Taiwan would trigger a U.S. bombing campaign. These private threats, delivered outside official channels, raise questions about their sincerity and impact. Were they genuine warnings aimed at deterring hostile actions, or simply off-the-cuff bravado designed to impress donors?