‘Something will happen, I presume’ — Trump appears to predict Chinese action against Taiwan after Olympics

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Former president Donald Trump appears to be predicting that China will take aggressive action against Taiwan at the close of the 2022 Winter Olympics because he is no longer in the White House.

Mr Trump made the cryptic comments during an interview on GB News with host Nigel Farage.

Asked about America’s place in the world under President Joe Biden, Mr Trump claimed that the US is at “the lowest point it's ever been at” because he is no longer president.

“I don't think it's ever been in a position like this — we're not respected anymore,” Mr Trump said.

The twice-impeached ex-president then began lying about a supposed lack of aggressive action on the part of Beijing during his presidency.

“There were no planes flying over Taiwan and the name wasn't even mentioned. You didn't talk about Taiwan when I was president,” Mr Trump said.

In fact, the People’s Republic of China did send People’s Liberation Army aircraft into airspace claimed by Taipei during Mr Trump’s time in office, including 40 such incursions on 18 and 19 September 2020.

Mr Trump then claimed PRC leaders would not be making any aggressive posturing at the island they’ve coveted for decades had Mr Biden not been elected, adding that they were waiting to act further until the 2022 Winter Olympics conclude.

“ It wasn't going to happen, what they're doing now ... wait till after the Olympics, I assume, and perhaps something will happen,” he said.