KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has continued his scathing remarks against the United States, calling out the superpower for its hypocrisy and disastrous foreign policies under Donald Trump.

Dr Mahathir also directed his criticism against Trump, highlighting the absurdity of him agreeing with Russia and Vladimir Putin.

"I don’t think he understands the world. He’s 100 years behind the times,” he said in an interview with TIME magazine.

"Talking about taking over Greenland, Panama, and expelling people from Gaza — these kinds of things cannot be done now. You have to consider the rights of people. This is not the way you run countries.”

The former prime minister lambasted the US for its complicity with Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza and against Palestinians.

"With regard to Ukraine, [Trump] said: Now you have to pay back; it is a loan. But with regard to Israel, it is not a loan. You are helping in committing genocide. And that is not a model we like,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also defended China, accusing the US of attempting to curtail the rising Asian superpower.

"They are very hard-working people, very skilful, you can’t stop them from growing. China will do everything to retain the market and is doing exactly what the Europeans were doing before,” he said.

He also accused the US of "provoking” Beijing toward a catastrophic conflict, pointing towards US’ backing of Taiwan.

"China could have invaded Taiwan long ago but chose not to because Taiwan was useful. But the US is not happy because there is no confrontation,” said Dr Mahathir, pointing to former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 2022 visit as a form of provocation.

"So now China wants to show its strength, and Taiwan now has to increase its defence capability, buying weapons from the US.”

Dr Mahathir also urged the US to withdraw is Navy presence in the disputed South China Sea, labelling such a move "destabilising” to the region.

"Supposing China sends warships to the Caribbean and conducts [exercises] there, what would America do? This is not America, this is the South China Sea, this is Asia.

"The US is a world power, but you have to use that power judiciously, not to provoke conflicts between nations,” he asserted.