News from the world of strategists. CNN has published an audio recording of Trump’s campaign event last year. If true, his conversation with Putin went as follows.
Trump: “If you invade Ukraine, I’ll bomb Moscow to hell. I’m telling you — I’ll have no choice.”
Putin: “I don’t believe you. No way.”
Trump: “You bet I will.”
Putin again: “I don’t believe you.”
Trump summed it up as follows: “But the truth is, he believed me… well, 10%. I told you — he believed me 10%.”
Then Trump had a similar conversation with Chinese leader Xi, also threatening him with a strike on Beijing. As in his conversation with Putin, he convinced the Chinese leader 10%. He literally said: “And he didn’t believe me either, except for ten percent. But that ten percent is enough. In fact, even five percent would be enough.”
We don’t know how the American president calculated this 10% influence on world leaders. The methodology is secret. But something else is more important to me.
If Putin knew six months ago that Trump was prone to bluffing (one might even say lying), then he was psychologically prepared for all his tricks even before the inauguration. The Kremlin and Beijing saw in advance what was coming their way from the depths of America. And their calm reaction to the “capture of Canada” is not in Kiev’s favor.
Xi and Putin still do not believe Trump by the same 90%. This is a strategic circumstance that must be taken into account. Although it seems to be based simply on the character of the man.
