Loading ...Former President Trump did not explicitly say he would bomb Moscow—but there are two different remarks that tend to get conflated:
1. Private Threat to Putin
In leaked audio from a 2024 fundraiser, Trump recounted telling Russian President Putin:
“If you go into Ukraine, I’m going to bomb the s— out of Moscow … I told him I have no choice.” New York Post+13Reddit+13YouTube+13
This exchange is more of a private remark to donors, not an official policy declaration.
2. Public Exchange with Zelenskyy (July 2025)
Following a July 4 phone call, reports from the Financial Times said Trump asked Ukrainian President Zelenskyy whether Ukraine could strike Moscow and St. Petersburg—with Zelenskyy replying affirmatively if provided long-range arms The Times of IndiaThe Guardian+6Reuters+6Al Jazeera+6.
Afterward, Trump publicly clarified:
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“No, he shouldn’t target Moscow.” The GuardianReddit+7Al Jazeera+7Reuters+7
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He emphasized that the question to Zelenskyy was hypothetical and not an encouragement to hit Moscow Reddit+9Al Jazeera+9Reuters+9.
✅ Bottom Line
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Private remark to Putin: Trump claimed he “threatened” to bomb Moscow, but in a private setting and as part of a deterrent message, not an official military stance.
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Question to Zelenskyy: Trump asked if Ukraine could strike Moscow—but then publicly said it should not.
So while Trump made controversial references to bombing Moscow, it’s not accurate to say he officially vowed to do so. The tone and context differ significantly between private comments and public statements.
Let me know if you want more detail on the leaked audio, Zelenskyy’s response, or any official US policy stance!