Trump had as many as 7 private calls with Putin since leaving office, Bob Woodward writes in new book

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has had as many as seven non-public telephone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving workplace and secretly despatched the Russian president COVID-19 check machines through the peak of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new guide “Struggle.”

Within the famed Watergate reporter’s newest guide, Woodward studies that Trump requested an aide to depart his workplace at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, in order that the previous president might have a non-public name with Putin in early 2024. The aide, whom Woodward doesn’t identify, stated there have been a number of calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left workplace, maybe as many as seven in that interval, based on the guide.

WATCH: Trump suggests Ukraine ought to have made concessions to Putin earlier than Russian invasion throughout N.C. marketing campaign cease

Woodward additionally studies that Trump despatched Putin COVID-19 check machines for his private use because the virus started spreading in 2020. Putin informed Trump to not inform anybody as a result of folks can be mad at Trump over it, however Trump stated he didn’t care if anybody knew, based on the guide. Trump ended up agreeing to not inform anybody.

Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, derided the reporting as “made up tales” and stated the guide is a piece of fiction that would double as bathroom paper.

“None of those made up tales by Bob Woodward are true and are the work of a really demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Cheung stated in a press release.

He added: “President Trump gave him completely no entry for this trash guide that both belongs within the cut price bin of the fiction part of a reduction bookstore or used as bathroom tissue. Woodward is a complete sleazebag who has misplaced it mentally, and he’s sluggish, torpid, incompetent and total a boring particular person with no character.”

A replica of the guide, which is due out subsequent week, was obtained early by The Related Press. CNN first reported on the contents of the guide Tuesday.

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has spoken to or met with a number of overseas leaders since leaving workplace, most lately assembly in New York with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid rising public tensions between the 2 over Ukraine’s protection towards Russia’s invasion.

Trump has stated he desires to have “peace” and that the struggle should finish. The previous president has been vital of U.S. assist for Ukraine and stated the nation ought to have made concessions to Putin earlier than Russia invaded in 2022. He additionally beforehand touted his good relationship with Putin and known as the Russian chief “fairly good” for invading Ukraine.”

Value reported from New York. Related Press author Hillel Italie contributed to this report.