Former President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that a “third world war” could be imminent if he does not win the upcoming election in November.
Speaking during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump proclaimed that if he were to win, all global issues would be resolved swiftly. Conversely, he asserted that his loss could lead to major conflicts in the Middle East and a global war, attributing this potential crisis to what he described as the incompetence of current U.S. leadership.
“If we win, it’ll be very simple. It’s all going to work out and very quickly,” Trump told reporters at the start of the meeting. “If we don’t, you’re going to end up with major wars in the Middle East and maybe a third world war. You are closer to a third world war right now than at any time since the second world war. You’ve never been so close, because we have incompetent people running our country.”
The former president has also made dire predictions about what might happen if he does not win back the White House, including a claim that the stock market would crash.
Trump’s remarks come at a time of significant political upheaval, as President Biden announced his decision not to seek re-election and endorsed Vice President Harris as the Democratic nominee. Harris, who has consolidated strong support among Democrats, met with Netanyahu separately from Biden, emphasizing Israel’s right to self-defense while also expressing concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Despite his occasional criticism of Netanyahu in the wake of recent attacks on Israel and the subsequent violence in Gaza, Trump sought to reaffirm his strong support for Israel during his meeting with the Prime Minister. He highlighted his administration’s actions, such as moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.
In his comments on Friday, Trump criticized the Biden administration’s efforts to broker a cease-fire and address the hostage situation, stating that the current conditions for those held captive were unacceptable and demanded their immediate release.
“They have to be given back immediately because there can be no way they’re in good shape,” Trump said.
