WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has had as many as seven personal telephone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving workplace and secretly despatched the Russian president COVID-19 take a look at machines throughout the peak of the pandemic, Bob Woodward reported in his new e book, “Warfare.”
The revelations have been made within the famed Watergate reporter’s newest e book, which additionally particulars President Joe Biden’s frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ‘s assortment of burner telephones. The Related Press obtained an early copy of the e book, which is due out subsequent week.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, denied the accounts within the e book. “None of those made up tales by Bob Woodward are true and are the work of a very demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Cheung stated in an announcement.
Trump had beforehand spoken to Woodward for the journalist’s 2021 e book, “Rage.” Trump later sued over it, claiming Woodward by no means had permission to publicly launch recordings of their interviews for the e book. The writer and Woodward denied his allegations.
Right here is extra from the brand new e book:
Trump has had a number of calls with Putin since his White Home time period ended
Woodward experiences that Trump requested an aide to go away his workplace at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, in order that the previous president might have a personal name with Putin in early 2024. The aide, whom Woodward doesn’t title, stated there have been a number of calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left workplace, maybe as many as seven, in line with the e book, although it doesn’t element what they mentioned.
Trump senior adviser and longtime aide Jason Miller advised Woodward that he had not heard Trump was having calls with Putin and stated, “I’d push again on that.” However Miller additionally stated, in line with the e book, “I’m certain they’d know get in contact with one another.”
Trump’s relationship with Putin has been scrutinized since his 2016 marketing campaign for president, when he memorably referred to as on Russia to search out and make public lacking emails deleted by Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent. “Russia, in case you’re listening, I hope you’re capable of finding the 30,000 emails which can be lacking,” he stated.
U.S. intelligence businesses later decided that Russia had meddled within the 2016 election to assist Trump, although an investigation by particular counsel Robert Mueller discovered no conspiracy between the Trump crew and Russia. In 2018, Trump publicly questioned that discovering following an in-person assembly with Putin in Helsinki.
Lately, Trump has criticized U.S. assist for Ukraine because it fights off Russia’s invasion. He has stated Ukraine ought to have made concessions to Putin earlier than Russia invaded in 2022. He additionally beforehand touted his good relationship with Putin and referred to as the Russian chief “fairly sensible” for invading Ukraine.
Trump despatched COVID-19 take a look at machines to Putin for his private use
Woodward experiences that Trump despatched Putin COVID-19 take a look at machines for his private use because the virus started spreading in 2020.
Putin advised 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, in line with the e book. Trump ended up agreeing to not inform anybody.
The e book doesn’t specify when the machines have been despatched however describes it as being when the virus unfold quickly by Russia. It was beforehand reported by The Related Press and different businesses that Trump’s administration in Might 2020 despatched ventilators and different gear to a number of nations, together with Russia.
What to know concerning the 2024 Election
Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview Tuesday with radio host Howard Stern, accused Trump of giving the machines to a “murderous dictator” at a time when “everybody was scrambling” to get checks.
“This one that needs to be president once more, who secretly helps out an an adversary whereas the American persons are dying by the tons of daily,” stated Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.
Biden’s anger at Netanyahu has boiled over in personal
The e book additionally particulars Biden’s difficult relationship with Netanyahu in addition to personal moments when the president has been fed up with him over the Israel-Hamas battle.
Biden’s “frustrations and mistrust” of Netanyahu “erupted” this previous spring, Woodward writes. The president privately unleashed a profanity-laden tirade, calling him a “son of a bitch” and a “dangerous f——— man,” in line with the e book. Biden stated he felt, in Woodward’s accounting, that Netanyahu “had been mendacity to him recurrently.” With Netanyahu “persevering with to say he was going to kill each final member of Hamas.” Woodward wrote, “Biden had advised him that was unattainable, threatening each privately and publicly to withhold offensive U.S. weapons cargo.”
Biden and Netanyahu have lengthy been acquainted, though their relationship has not been identified to be shut or overly pleasant. Final week, Biden stated he didn’t know whether or not the Israeli chief was holding up a Mideast peace deal with a purpose to affect the end result of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Requested concerning the e book’s reporting, White Home spokesperson Emilie Simons advised reporters Tuesday that “The dedication that we’ve got to the state of Israel is ironclad.”
Simons, when pressed on the small print, stated she wouldn’t touch upon each anecdote which will come out in reporting. She added of Biden and Netanyahu: “They’ve a long-term relationship. They’ve a really sincere and direct relationship, and I don’t have a touch upon these particular anecdotes.”
Biden criticized Obama’s dealing with of the Russian invasion of Crimea
The e book particulars Biden’s criticism late final 12 months of President Barack Obama’s dealing with of Putin’s earlier invasion of Ukraine, when Russia seized Crimea and a piece of the Donbas in 2014, at a time when Biden was serving because the Democrat’s vp.
“They f—– up in 2014,” Woodward wrote that Biden stated to a detailed good friend in December, blaming the dearth of motion for Putin’s actions in Ukraine. “Barack by no means took Putin critically.”
Biden was indignant whereas chatting with the good friend and stated they “by no means ought to have let Putin simply stroll in there” in 2014 and that the U.S. “did nothing.”
Biden regrets selecting Garland as legal professional normal
Woodward experiences Biden was privately livid with Lawyer Common Merrick Garland for appointing a particular counsel to research Biden’s son Hunter in a tax-and-gun prosecution.
“Ought to by no means have picked Garland,” Biden advised an affiliate, in line with Woodward. The journalist didn’t title the affiliate.
Hunter Biden was convicted in June on federal gun prices and faces sentencing in federal courtroom in Delaware in December. He pleaded responsible to federal tax prices in California and can be set to be sentenced in that case in December.
Graham says going to Mar-a-Lago is ‘a bit bit like going to North Korea’
Certainly one of Trump’s longest-term allies, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, blamed Trump’s ongoing false claims that the 2020 election was rigged to a cult of persona by which the previous president’s ensconcement at Mar-a-Lago and circle of aides and advisers “continuously feed this narrative,” in line with the e book.
The weekend after Russia invaded Ukraine, Graham was with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which the senator characterised as “a bit bit like going to North Korea.” Graham added that “everyone stands up and claps each time Trump is available in.”
On politics, Woodward wrote that Graham’s counsel was a part of what persuaded Trump to run once more for the presidency.
In March, throughout one in every of his many visits to the Center East since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Graham advised Woodward that he had been assembly with the Saudi crown prince when Graham prompt they name Trump. From “a bag containing about 50 burner telephones,” Prince Mohammed “pulled out one labeled ‘TRUMP 45.’” On one other journey, Woodward wrote, the Saudi chief retrieved one other burner telephone, “this time labeled JAKE SULLIVAN ” when the boys referred to as Biden’s nationwide safety adviser.
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Worth reported from New York. Related Press writers Hillel Italie in New York, Eric Tucker in Washington and Aamer Madhani aboard Air Power One contributed to this report.
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