Donald Trump Jr. claimed Sunday that the latest U.S. assistance to Ukraine is part of an effort to “get World War 3 going” before his father, President-elect Donald Trump, takes office in January.
He was responding to news that President Joe Biden authorized Kyiv to use long-range U.S. missiles to strike inside Russia.
“The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War 3 going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives,” wrote Don Jr. in a tweet.
Russian state news agency TASS quoted the Kremlin’s top spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, as saying Biden’s decision—which he noted has been reported in news outlets but not officially confirmed by Washington—would constitute a “new round of tension” between Russia and the U.S.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in September that, if the U.S. authorized the use of long-range missiles, it “will mean nothing less than the direct participation of NATO countries, the United States, and European countries in the war in Ukraine.”
President-elect Trump, meanwhile, has claimed he will end the war shortly after taking office, but has offered no details of how he would accomplish this.
His running mate, Vice President-elect JD Vance, offered up a peace plan on a podcast appearance in September that essentially mirrors Putin’s proposal.
That would require Ukraine to surrender all territory currently held by Moscow’s troops and pledge neutrality, leaving a fifth of the country occupied with no assurances that Putin wouldn’t order another invasion.
“I think some people have convinced themselves that this is like the great humanitarian mission of our time and it’s what drives some of it, even though I think it’s fake and it’s wrong,” Vance said of support for Ukraine.
Don Jr. won’t be around to help the administration push through its plans, however, as he took a job at a venture capital firm focused on investing in right wing companies.
Biden made his latest decision—to allow Ukraine to use US-made ATACMS missiles with a range of about 190 miles to strike in Russia—after Putin made the surprise move to bring 10,000 North Korean troops to fight in the border region Kursk, where Ukrainian troops have occupied territory since August.
Bloomberg reported Sunday that some G20 nations have determined North Korea could supply up to 100,000 troops to Russia to fight in the war.
Biden reportedly authorized the use of ATACMS as a deterrent to dissuade Pyongyang from sending more forces.
Less than a month ago, President-elect Trump called Putin and North Korean president Kim Jong Un “smart and streetwise.” Putin returned the compliment, saying Trump is a “courageous man” after his election win earlier this month.
