An upcoming book from journalist Bob Woodward alleges that Ex-President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have spoken as many as seven times since 2021.
What Happened: Woodward’s “War” — previewed by the New York Times — also recounts a moment from 2020 in which Trump sent Putin rare COVID-19 tests during the early stages of the global pandemic.
The Trump campaign denied Woodward’s claims.
Woodward — one half of the famed Woodward and Bernstein reporting duo that uncovered the Watergate scandal during President Richard Nixon‘s second term — previously interviewed Trump in 2020. The highly publicized interview tape featured Trump saying he “always wanted to play it [COVID-19] down."
"None of these made-up stories by Bob Woodward are true and are the work of a truly demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome," Steven Cheung, the campaign communications director, told the Times.
Why it Matters: Trump has previously supported a destabilization of NATO. Several of his comments since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war have seemingly favored Russia in the conflict.
Vice President Kamala Harris‘s campaign wasted little time posting audio of Trump, and using excerpts from Woodward’s book to delineate Trump’s view of Putin.
Trump had been investigated during his presidency for improper coordination between his 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government. The subsequent “Mueller Report” did not charge Trump with a crime, but also did not clear him of wrongdoing.
The 2024 election has just four weeks left. Trump is currently neck-in-neck with Harris.
Woodward’s book will be released on Oct. 15. Whether it will serve as an “October Surprise” or fade in voters’ minds remains to be seen.
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