Former Russian president threatens WORLD WAR THREE as Trump says he’s done being ‘Mr. NICE GUY’ with Beijing over violated trade deal
Trump calls out Putin, accuses China of not honoring trade deal terms during 19th week in office – ‘He’s playing with fire!’ Trump said about Putin.
President Donald Trump put Russian President Vladimir Putin on notice, and issued some harsh words to China and their ongoing trade negotiations during his 19th week in office.
“What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realize is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia and former Russian president, responded in kind and issued his own words of caution to the U.S.
Regarding Trump’s words about Putin ‘playing with fire’ and ‘really bad things’ happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!” Medvedev wrote.
Nuclear threat from Moscow
In an extraordinary escalation, Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev invoked the specter of World War Three in response to Trump’s warning, marking a dangerous new phase in rhetoric between the nuclear powers.
The exchange came as Trump’s frustration boiled over with Putin’s refusal to engage in ceasefire talks while launching some of the deadliest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine since the war began in 2022.
US envoy Keith Kellogg fired back at Medvedev, calling his World War Three threat “reckless” and “unfitting of a world power.
‘Gone absolutely CRAZY!’
Trump’s Tuesday warning followed an even more explosive Sunday post where he declared Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY!” and was “needlessly killing a lot of people.”
I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” Trump wrote.
The president revealed his growing frustration after a two-hour call with Putin last week failed to produce any movement toward the peace deal Trump promised during his campaign.
China’s ‘TOTAL VIOLATION’
In a separate bombshell on Friday, Trump turned his fury on China, accusing Beijing of completely betraying their recent trade agreement.
The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,” Trump thundered on Truth Social. “So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!”
Stock futures immediately tumbled following Trump’s explosive statement, as fears of a renewed trade war sent shockwaves through markets.
Trade deal in tatters
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer backed up Trump’s accusations in a CNBC interview, revealing China had failed to deliver on critical promises.
“The United States did exactly what it was supposed to do, and the Chinese are slow-rolling their compliance, which is completely unacceptable and has to be addressed,” Greer said.
The dispute centers on China’s failure to remove non-tariff barriers and resume exports of critical rare-earth minerals used in everything from military drones to electric vehicles.
90-day deal collapses
The breakdown comes just weeks after a May 12 agreement that saw both countries dramatically reduce tariffs – the US from 145% to 30%, and China from 125% to 10% – for a 90-day cooling-off period.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent admitted Thursday that talks were “a bit stalled,” suggesting the carefully negotiated Geneva agreement was unraveling.
We haven’t seen the flow of some of those critical minerals as they were supposed to be doing,” Greer confirmed, pointing to China’s continued export bans on gallium, germanium and antimony.
Beijing fires back
China’s embassy in Washington pushed back against Trump’s accusations, with spokesperson Liu Pengyu urging the US to “immediately correct its erroneous actions.
China once again urges the US to immediately correct its erroneous actions, cease discriminatory restrictions against China and jointly uphold the consensus reached at the high-level talks in Geneva,” Liu said.
The Chinese insisted they had maintained communications since the Geneva talks but raised concerns about ongoing US export controls.
Golden Dome gambit
Adding to the international drama, Trump bizarrely offered Canada a choice between paying $61 billion to join America’s planned “Golden Dome” missile defense system or becoming the 51st state for free.
I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,” Trump posted Tuesday.
Markets rattle
Financial markets reacted nervously to Trump’s dual confrontations with Russia and China, with concerns growing that the president’s aggressive stance could derail both Ukraine peace efforts and the fragile trade detente.
The president’s promise to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping offered little comfort, with Trump insisting in the Oval Office that China had “violated a big part of the agreement we made.
19 weeks of chaos
As Trump marks his 19th week back in the White House, his administration faces mounting international crises on multiple fronts:
- Ukraine peace talks stalled with Putin “playing with fire
- China trade deal collapsing amid accusations of betrayal
- Russia threatening World War Three
- Markets volatile over trade war fears
- Critical mineral shortages looming
Warning to the world
Trump’s message to both Moscow and Beijing was clear: America’s patience is running out.
But with Medvedev invoking nuclear war and China digging in on trade, the president’s tough talk risks pushing the world’s major powers toward a dangerous confrontation.
As one senior administration official put it: “The nice guy approach is over. Now we’ll see who blinks first.”
