Taiwan military action up to China: Top 5 remarks from Trump's interview

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said that a military action on Taiwan is up to Chinese President Xi Jinping and added that had it not been for him, Russia would have taken "all of Ukraine."

 

In an interview with The New York Times, Trump spoke at length on global flashpoints ranging from Venezuela and Greenland to nuclear agreements and Russia. Listed below are some of his key remarks.

'Military action on Taiwan upto Xi'

Commenting on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s view of Taiwan as a separatist threat, Trump said, "That’s up to him, what he’s going to be doing." However, he added that he had warned the Chinese leader he would be “very unhappy” if China took military action against Taiwan.

 

 

Trump also denied suggestions that a US strike on Venezuela could set a precedent for China or Russia. He argued that Venezuela posed a unique threat to the US due to drugs and migrants. "Venezuela was a real threat... You didn’t have people or drugs pouring into China or Russia. You didn’t have the jails of Taiwan opened up and the people pouring into China," he said.

 

Trump further claimed that Xi would not dare to attack Taiwan while he was president, suggesting any such move could only happen under a future US administration.

Greenland 'ownership very important'

Trump reiterated his interest in Greenland, which Denmark, a Nato ally, controls. He said “ownership” of the island was important. "Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success. I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do, whether you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document," he said.

 

According to Trump, sovereignty and borders matter less than the US role as the main protector of the West. When asked whether Greenland or Nato was the higher priority, he suggested the alliance was ineffective without the US at its core.

'Russia would've taken all of Ukraine'

Trump claimed that Russia would have taken all of Ukraine if not for his leadership. "I’ve been very loyal to Europe. I’ve done a good job. If it weren’t for me, Russia would have all of Ukraine right now," he said, adding that Russia was mainly concerned about the US, not other Nato countries.

 

He criticised former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, saying only he had successfully pressured Nato members to increase defence spending. “I want them to shape up,” Trump said.

Trump on nuclear arms control

Trump appeared unconcerned about the possible expiry of the last major nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia. “If it expires, it expires... We’ll just do a better agreement,” he said, adding that China, which has the fastest-growing arsenal in the world, should be included in a future agreement.

 

The current agreement is set to expire in four weeks, leaving the world’s two largest nuclear powers free to expand their arsenals without limit, for the first time in half a century.

US 'dominant power'

Throughout the interview, Trump repeatedly stressed that the US remains the world’s dominant superpower. He dismissed post-World War II global norms as unnecessary constraints and argued that past presidents had failed to fully use American power for strategic or economic gain.

 

In Trump’s view, US strength remains the decisive factor in global politics, outweighing the influence of rivals such as China and Russia.