"That would be the equivalent of losing a war, something that would turn us into a third world country and we cannot let that happen," said the candidate.

Trump reveals fear of Brazil's initiative: "we would be losing a war"

"That would be the equivalent of losing a war, something that would turn us into a third world country and we cannot let that happen," said the candidate.

At a rally held this Thursday (7) in New York state, former US president and presidential candidate Donald Trump criticized the sanctions model and stated that it accelerates the de-dollarization of emerging countries.

The abandonment of the dollar as the standard currency in foreign trade is a movement endorsed by Brazil, led by the president of the New Development Bank (NDB), Dilma Rousseff, and strongly supported by President Lula.

According to Trump, sanctions against Russia, Iran and Venezuela have caused several countries to begin questioning the use of the dollar for international transactions.

I would use sanctions, but I would apply them and remove them as quickly as possible because ultimately they kill the dollar," Trump said.

However, this claim is inaccurate: Trump has tightened sanctions against Venezuela and Cuba, in addition to reimposing sanctions against Iran, breaking the nuclear non-proliferation agreement between Tehran and Washington.

Still, this is one of the rare criticisms from a central figure in the US political establishment of the model of economic sanctions, which became a common practice in the country's international relations doctrine after the Cold War.

According to Trump, the de-dollarization of international trade would put the US in a position similar to that of defeat in a war.

"These sanctions kill everything the dollar stands for, and we need to keep the dollar as a global currency. I think that's important. Losing the dollar as a global currency would be the equivalent of losing a war, something that would turn us into a third world country, and we can't let that happen," he said.