Trump warns of World War III if he loses 2024 election

Former President Donald Trump raised the specter of a potential third World War if he fails to win the 2024 presidential election, in a dramatic statement made Friday at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Trump’s comments came during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was visiting Trump in Florida after a week of high-profile meetings in Washington, D.C., Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media sources.

Trump's remarks followed a series of diplomatic interactions involving Netanyahu, who had earlier met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. This visit came after Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.

At Mar-a-Lago, Trump criticized Vice President Harris, labeling her as "worse" on Middle Eastern issues compared to Biden. He warned that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas could escalate into a broader regional war and potentially a third World War if Harris were to succeed Biden, who has announced he will not seek re-election.

Trump stated, “We’ll see how it goes. But if it all works out, if we win, it’ll be very simple. It’s all going to work out. And very quickly. 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. We’ve never been so close because we have incompetent people running the country.”

The former president's remarks come amid tensions between Harris and Netanyahu, particularly after their meeting on Thursday. Harris emphasized the need for Israel to defend itself while also expressing serious concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the high civilian death toll. She called for an end to the conflict and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Netanyahu, however, remained steadfast in his position that the conflict must continue until Hamas is fully eradicated, even if it means delaying the release of hostages. Reports suggest that Harris' comments regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza did not sit well with the Israeli prime minister, fueling a reported diplomatic flare-up.