- Trump warned of the possible "catastrophe" of World War III amid increased nuclear threats from Russia.
- Trump claimed that other countries were making threats "because they have no respect for our leadership."
Former President Donald Trump said he would build an "impenetrable dome" over the US if re-elected as president, as he warned of the possible "catastrophe" of World War III.
"If you take a look right now, the 'nuclear' word is being mentioned all the time. This is a word you're not allowed to use. It was never used during the Trump administration," Trump said in a video released Friday.
—Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 27, 2023
Trump claimed that nuclear threats are being made by other countries "because they have no respect for our leadership," appearing to reference Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies making threats about using nuclear weapons.
"World War III would be a catastrophe unlike any other. This would make World War I and World War II like very small battles," Trump said.
To address this potential threat, Trump said he would "build a state of the art next generation missile defense shield, just as Israel is now protected by the Iron Dome."
Israel's Iron Dome was designed to intercept incoming missiles and is one of the most advanced defense systems in the world.
"America must have an impenetrable dome to protect our people," Trump said.
The former president is so far the only Republican to announce their plans to run for president in 2024.
Trump's comments about a possible world war come a day after he posted a message on Truth Social claiming he could negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours.
Trump has frequently claimed that the conflict would not have taken place if he was president, despite the fact that he withheld military aid from Kyiv, which played a role in his 2019 impeachment.
Experts have also said the former president emboldened Putin, and Trump has frequently praised the Russian leader even after his invasion of Ukraine.