,

Trump’s New Bombshell Rocks Campaign

Former President Trump’s campaign is pushing back against claims made in journalist Bob Woodward’s latest book, which suggests that Trump has had several phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin since leaving office in January 2021.

In Woodward’s book titled “War,” the veteran journalist also claims that Trump secretly agreed to send COVID-19 testing equipment to Putin during the height of the pandemic.

Steven Cheung, communications director for Trump’s campaign, responded firmly to these allegations, stating that “None of these made-up stories by Bob Woodward are true.” He further emphasized that Trump did not provide access to Woodward for this book, unlike previous occasions.

Cheung also criticized Woodward personally, saying that the journalist suffers from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” a phrase some Trump supporters use to suggest an irrational fixation on criticizing the former president.

The Trump campaign’s rebuttal comes on the heels of the former president’s ongoing $50 million lawsuit against Woodward. Trump claims that Woodward wrongfully published taped interviews conducted during his presidency, which were included in Woodward’s 2020 book, “Rage.” In response, Woodward and his publisher have filed to dismiss the lawsuit.

This back-and-forth escalated after CNN reported on details from Woodward’s book, alleging that Trump sent Putin specialized COVID-19 testing machines, reportedly telling him, “I don’t care… fine,” when Putin suggested keeping it a secret.

Woodward’s book also points to as many as seven phone calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left office, although Jason Miller, a former Trump aide, is quoted as saying he wasn’t aware of any such contacts. At the same time, Avril Haines, President Biden’s Director of National Intelligence, did not definitively rule out the possibility of communication between the two leaders, leaving room for speculation.

Trump’s team continues to dismiss the claims as baseless, while the controversy over these alleged interactions adds another layer to the complex relationship between the former president and Russia.


Latest News »