French President Emmanuel Macron has been in China meeting with Xi Jinping and "kissing his ass," Donald Trump said Tuesday.
The former US president sat down with Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson for his first mainstream media appearance since being indicted in New York.
In a rambling interview, the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee said the United States had lost influence in the world since he left office.
"You got this crazy world, it's blowing up and the United States has absolutely no say," he told Carlson.
"And Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China, kissing his ass. Okay, in China! I said, 'France is now going to China.'"
Macron caused a storm after a state visit to China last week in which he cautioned Europeans should not chain themselves to US foreign policy.
In remarks to journalists Macron said European countries should not get caught in the tense standoff between Beijing and Washington over the fate of Taiwan.
China has vowed to regain control of Taiwan, while the US government pledges to help Taiwan defend itself.
Macron, who discussed Taiwan with Xi on Friday, warned against Europe being "caught up in crises that are not ours, which prevents it from building its strategic autonomy."
"The paradox would be that, overcome with panic, we believe we are just America's followers," Macron said. "The worse thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda and a Chinese overreaction."
The remarks sparked unease in Washington, although the White House sought to play them down, with spokesman John Kirby saying the Biden administration remains "comfortable and confident in the terrific bilateral relationship we have with France."
Former US President Donald Trump says "nuclear warming" is the greatest problem facing the world, surpassing even the issue of global warming.
"Nobody talks about nuclear...the biggest problem we have in the whole world. It's not global warming, it's nuclear warming," Trump told Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview that aired Tuesday night.
"And all it takes is one madman...and it's only a matter of seconds. You don't have to wait 200 to 300 years for it to happen," he said.
Trump also expressed concern about Russia's nuclear weapons capability and its impact on Ukraine. He argued that while many people talked about Ukraine's situation, Russia is "sitting back."
"First of all, Ukraine is being obliterated, but let's not even talk nuclear. Let's say it wasn't. Let's say they were doing better than anticipated. If he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) decided to use his second form of destruction, which is nuclear, that's the end of that," he added.
Trump was also asked if he would withdraw from the 2024 presidential race if he is convicted of any charges, including those related to an ongoing case involving hush money payments.
He responded by saying he would not drop out under any circumstances.
"I'd never drop out. That's not my thing. I wouldn't do it," he added.
He also claimed that police officers and courthouse employees were moved to tears upon seeing him appear for his arraignment in Manhattan.
"People were crying, people that worked there, professionally work there, that have no problems putting in murderers and they see everybody," he said.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump last week with 34 counts related to his alleged involvement in a scheme to pay "hush money" to Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
