Former President Trump delivered remarks Thursday following a day in court for his criminal hush money trial, where he said Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting to do “damage” while he’s been sitting in “an icebox.”
“President Xi of China, I know well, President Putin of Russia, know him well, they’re right now together working on plans where they … get together and do damage, because that’s ultimately what they’re thinking about doing, damage,” Trump said in New York.
Putin arrived in Beijing early Thursday local time, the first state visit of his new term. Putin and Xi are expected to discuss international issues and celebrate relations between the two countries.
His visit comes as Russian forces continue a major offensive in Ukraine, considered one of the largest assaults since the start of the war, which has resulted in thousands of civilians being forced to evacuate the northeastern region.
Xi is interested in Putin taking over in Ukraine, particularly because of what it could mean for Taiwan, the island that China considers a part of its own but has never been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, reports the Washington Post.
Trump pointed to Xi’s interest in taking over Taiwan and compared it to his own situation.
The former president is under a gag order in the case, so he has to be careful about what he says about the ongoing case but has often referred to the temperature in the Manhattan courtroom and said its being kept cold “on purpose.”
“He fully expects to take Taiwan. He made that statement today. That’s a big statement,” Trump said about Xi. “And I’m sitting here in an icebox.”
“I’m sitting here, listening to a case that even people from CNN and MSDNC say should never have been brought. I’ve been sitting here for almost four weeks, and we still have a long way to go,” he continued.
