Fact Check: Trump Falsely Claims Putin Didn’t Boast of Russia’s Nuclear Might During His Presidency
Former President Donald Trump has frequently argued that he was a formidable deterrent to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that Putin did not publicly discuss Russia’s nuclear capabilities during Trump’s time in office. However, this claim is demonstrably false.
Trump’s Claims About Nuclear Rhetoric
In a recent speech to a National Rifle Association conference in Indianapolis, Trump stated that Putin had never spoken publicly about Russia’s nuclear capabilities during his presidency, suggesting that such discussions have only begun under President Joe Biden. Trump repeated this false assertion in a video statement in late January, stating that the term “nuclear” was never mentioned while he was in the White House.
Facts First: Trump’s Claims Are False
Contrary to Trump’s assertions, Putin frequently referred to Russia as a “major nuclear power” during Trump’s presidency. At a joint press conference with Trump in 2018, Putin explicitly referred to both Russia and the United States as “major nuclear powers” and warned of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear war.
In fact, during a 2018 speech, Putin not only discussed Russia’s nuclear capabilities in detail but also showcased a video depicting a nuclear attack on what appeared to be Florida, home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump was reportedly so alarmed by the video that he criticized Putin during a phone call later that month.
Additionally, Putin issued dramatic warnings about nuclear war at multiple forums during Trump’s presidency. He reiterated that Russia would only use nuclear weapons in response to an attack, adding, “An aggressor should know that vengeance is inevitable, that he will be annihilated, and we would be the victims of the aggression.”
Expert Analysis and Further Evidence
Experts like Simon Saradzhyan, founding director of the Russia Matters project at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Pavel Podvig, a senior researcher at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, have dismissed Trump’s claims. Saradzhyan points out that Putin has referred to Russia as a “nuclear power” or “nuclear superpower” since he became president in 2000, including during Trump’s tenure. Podvig describes Putin’s 2018 speech as “one big boast” about Russia’s nuclear missile capabilities.
While the context around Putin’s nuclear rhetoric has intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, his messaging about Russia’s nuclear might has remained consistent throughout both the Trump and Biden administrations.
Conclusion: Putin’s Nuclear Boasts Under Trump Were Explicit and Numerous
During Trump’s presidency, Putin repeatedly made public statements boasting about Russia’s nuclear capabilities, often using these declarations to assert Russia’s military strength and deter perceived Western threats. These statements were met with skepticism by U.S. officials and experts, who often doubted the veracity of Putin’s claims about Russia’s weaponry. Regardless, it is clear that Putin did not shy away from discussing Russia’s nuclear power during Trump’s term, making Trump’s recent statements both misleading and factually incorrect.