WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has had as many as seven non-public telephone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving administrative center and secretly despatched the Russian president COVID-19 take a look at machines all through 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 main points President Joe Biden’s frustrations with Israeli Top Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ‘s collection of burner telephones. The Related Press got an early replica 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 way of Bob Woodward are true and are the paintings of a in reality demented and deranged guy who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Cheung stated in a observation.
Trump had in the past 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 unencumber recordings in their interviews for the e book. The writer and Woodward denied his allegations.
Here’s extra from the brand new e book:Trump has had a couple of calls with Putin since his White Space time period endedWoodward stories that Trump requested an aide to go away his administrative center at his Florida hotel, Mar-a-Lago, in order that the previous president can have a personal name with Putin in early 2024. The aide, whom Woodward doesn’t title, stated there were a couple of calls between Trump and Putin since Trump left administrative center, in all probability as many as seven, in step with the e book, despite the fact that it does now not element what they mentioned.
Trump senior adviser and longtime aide Jason Miller advised Woodward that he had now not heard Trump was once having calls with Putin and stated, “I’d ward off on that.” However Miller additionally stated, in step with the e book, “I’m positive they’d know the way to get involved with every different.”Trump’s courting 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 way of Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent. “Russia, for those who’re listening, I am hoping you’re ready to search out the 30,000 emails which might be lacking,” he stated.
U.S. intelligence companies later decided that Russia had meddled within the 2016 election to assist Trump, despite the fact that an investigation by way of particular recommend Robert Mueller discovered no conspiracy between the Trump crew and Russia. In 2018, Trump publicly wondered that discovering following an in-person assembly with Putin in Helsinki.In recent times, Trump has criticized U.S. enhance for Ukraine because it fights off Russia’s invasion. He has stated Ukraine must have made concessions to Putin prior to Russia invaded in 2022. He additionally in the past touted his excellent courting with Putin and referred to as the Russian chief “beautiful sensible” for invading Ukraine.Trump despatched COVID-19 take a look at machines to Putin for his private useWoodward stories 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 somebody as a result of folks can be mad at Trump over it, however Trump stated he didn’t care if somebody knew, in step with the e book. Trump ended up agreeing to not inform somebody.
The e book doesn’t specify when the machines have been despatched however describes it as being when the virus unfold impulsively thru Russia. It was once in the past reported by way of The Related Press and different companies that Trump’s management in Might 2020 despatched ventilators and different apparatus to a number of international locations, together with Russia.
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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 once scrambling” to get checks. “This one who desires to be president once more, who secretly helps out an an adversary whilst the American persons are loss of life by way of the masses each day,” stated Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.Biden’s anger at Netanyahu has boiled over in privateThe e book additionally main points Biden’s difficult courting with Netanyahu in addition to non-public moments when the president has been bored to death 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 whinge” and a “unhealthy f——— man,” in step with the e book. Biden stated he felt, in Woodward’s accounting, that Netanyahu “were mendacity to him ceaselessly.” With Netanyahu “proceeding to mention he was once going to kill each and every remaining member of Hamas.” Woodward wrote, “Biden had advised him that was once unattainable, threatening each privately and publicly to withhold offensive U.S. guns cargo.”
Biden and Netanyahu have lengthy been familiar, despite the fact that their courting has now not been identified to be shut or overly pleasant. Ultimate week, Biden stated he didn’t know whether or not the Israeli chief was once protecting up a Mideast peace deal with a view to affect the end result of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Requested in regards to the e book’s reporting, White Space spokesperson Emilie Simons advised journalists Tuesday that “The dedication that we need to the state of Israel is ironclad.”Simons, when pressed on the main points, stated she wouldn’t touch upon each and every anecdote that can pop out in reporting. She added of Biden and Netanyahu: “They’ve a long-term courting. They’ve an overly fair and direct courting, and I don’t have a touch upon the ones particular anecdotes.”Biden criticized Obama’s dealing with of the Russian invasion of CrimeaThe e book main points Biden’s grievance past due remaining yr of President Barack Obama’s dealing with of Putin’s previous invasion of Ukraine, when Russia seized Crimea and a bit of the Donbas in 2014, at a time when Biden was once serving because the Democrat’s vp.“They f—– up in 2014,” Woodward wrote that Biden stated to a detailed pal in December, blaming the loss of motion for Putin’s movements in Ukraine. “Barack by no means took Putin critically.”Biden was once indignant whilst chatting with the pal and stated they “by no means must have let Putin simply stroll in there” in 2014 and that the U.S. “did not anything.”Biden regrets opting for Garland as lawyer generalWoodward stories Biden was once privately livid with Legal professional Basic Merrick Garland for appointing a unique recommend to research Biden’s son Hunter in a tax-and-gun prosecution.“Will have to by no means have picked Garland,” Biden advised an affiliate, in step with Woodward. The journalist didn’t title the affiliate.Hunter Biden was once convicted in June on federal gun fees and faces sentencing in federal courtroom in Delaware in December. He pleaded to blame to federal tax fees in California and could also be set to be sentenced if so in December.Graham says going to Mar-a-Lago is ‘slightly bit like going to North Korea’One among Trump’s longest-term allies, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, blamed Trump’s ongoing false claims that the 2020 election was once rigged to a cult of persona through which the previous president’s ensconcement at Mar-a-Lago and circle of aides and advisers “continuously feed this narrative,” in step with the e book. The weekend after Russia invaded Ukraine, Graham was once with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which the senator characterised as “slightly bit like going to North Korea.” Graham added that “everyone stands up and claps each and every time Trump is available in.”On politics, Woodward wrote that Graham’s recommend was once a part of what persuaded Trump to run once more for the presidency.In March, all through one among his many visits to the Heart East since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Graham advised Woodward that he were assembly with the Saudi crown prince when Graham instructed they name Trump. From “a bag containing about 50 burner telephones,” Prince Mohammed “pulled out one categorized ‘TRUMP 45.’” On every other commute, Woodward wrote, the Saudi chief retrieved every other burner telephone, “this time categorized JAKE SULLIVAN ” when the boys referred to as Biden’s nationwide safety adviser.___Price reported from New York. Related Press writers Hillel Italie in New York, Eric Tucker in Washington and Aamer Madhani aboard Air Pressure One contributed to this document.
