Mike Pompeo: Biden's 'Armageddon' remark on Russian nuclear threat was 'reckless'

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called President Joe Biden's warning of "Armageddon" amid nuclear threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin "reckless."

"When you hear the president talking about Armageddon as a random thought just using it at a fundraiser, that is a terrible risk to the American people if he truly believes that he ought to be out talking to us in a serious way," Pompeo said on "Fox News Sunday."

Pompeo added that it would have been better for the Biden administration to be diplomatic in warning Putin to understand the ramifications of nuclear weapons.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Putin has issued veiled warnings that he could use nuclear weapons to defend Russia. His most recent comments came late last month, as he issued a call-up of troops, adding Russia would use “all the means at our disposal” to protect his country.

Biden said at a fundraiser Thursday that the risk of nuclear weapons at Armageddon is at the highest level since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. He warned that Putin's threat is real because his real "because his military is – you might say – significantly underperforming."

Consequences for Russia: 'Catastrophic consequences for Russia' if Putin uses nukes, top US official says: Ukraine updates

White House National Security Council coordinator John Kirby defended Biden's comments on ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday, adding that the president was "accurately reflecting the fact that the stakes are very high right now," referring to Putin's threat of nuclear weapons.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pompeo: Biden's 'Armageddon' remark was 'reckless'