During a recent interview, former President Donald Trump claimed he has made billions more dollars than the total amount the U.S. has provided in aid to Ukraine—raising eyebrows and sparking speculation that he may have accidentally revealed too much.
The 78-year-old Republican made the statement while speaking with Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier during a visit to Abu Dhabi. The conversation turned to the ongoing war in Eastern Europe and Trump’s recent posts on Truth Social urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt attacks on Ukraine.
Baier brought up Trump’s April 24 plea on the platform, in which he simply said, “Vladimir, stop,” following a deadly Russian airstrike on a Ukrainian residential area that killed at least nine people and injured more than 70.
“I haven’t seen you get personal,” Baier noted. “On Truth Social you said, ‘Vladimir, stop.’ He hasn’t stopped. And you once said that maybe it’s time to consider other measures—like sanctions or banking restrictions—because they may need a different kind of pressure.”
Trump’s offhand remark about his personal wealth, made in the context of this discussion, has led many to question whether he inadvertently disclosed more about his finances than intended.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has continued to ignore Trump’s pleas for peace (MIKHAIL METZEL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
On May 8, former President Donald Trump warned of “further sanctions” against Russia if President Vladimir Putin refused to accept a ceasefire proposal.
Posting on his social media platform, Trump stated:
“Talks with Russia and Ukraine continue. The U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations.
If the ceasefire is not respected, the U.S. and its partners will impose further sanctions. Thousands of young soldiers are dying on a weekly basis, and everybody should want it to STOP.
I do, and the United States of America does, also.”
Putin rejected the proposed ceasefire and instead suggested hosting talks in Turkey — an idea Trump initially supported. However, Trump later withdrew from the negotiations, sending U.S. officials in his place, while Putin did the same.
Trump justified his absence by saying he “would not have wanted to disappoint UAE” by canceling a planned visit to the Gulf nation.
Speaking in Abu Dhabi, Trump told reporter Baeir:
“I don’t want to see 5,000 people [die each week in the war]. Outside of the money, which is a big deal — but the money is the money. The money we can make up. I can make up the money on one trip like this, OK?
I mean, think of it. This trip, I made 12 times the money that we’re talking about. I made that money in a few days. I’ve always been good with money.”
Baeir interrupted, “It’s not about the money, it’s about pressuring Putin, right?”
Trump responded:
“I know, but I’ve always been good with money — I make money. In four days, I made 12 times what we spent in Ukraine. So the money is the money.”
So, how much money are we talking about?
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. Department of State claims it has provided approximately $182.8 billion in aid. The Kiel Institute, a German-based think tank tracking global contributions to Ukraine, estimates the total U.S. support at a lower figure: $119.7 billion.
President Donald Trump has claimed he’s made 12 times more than the amount of money the US has sent to Ukraine, in just four days (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Trump has claimed the figure could be as high as $350 billion, though he has provided no evidence to support this.
But is he really suggesting he generated between $1.4 trillion and $4.2 trillion in just four days through deals in the Middle East?
On Twitter, many users think Trump may have unintentionally revealed more than he intended.
“I think he’s saying the quiet part out loud,” one user joked.
Another wrote, “He’s conflating government spending on Ukraine—which he seems to believe was $300 billion—with potential foreign investment in the U.S. The U.S. government isn’t getting $4 trillion.”
“He has no real answer on Ukraine,” someone else added. “Putin keeps outmaneuvering him, and he’s too afraid to stand up to him.”
A fourth user summed it up: “He talks in circles to dodge the obvious—that Putin is playing him, and he’s been even weaker than Biden (which is saying something) when it comes to supporting Ukraine and pushing back on Russia.”
