WASHINGTON: An explosive new book authored by renowned journalist Bob Woodward, titled War, reveals that former US President Donald Trump secretly sent Covid-19 test kits to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a critical shortage in the United States.
The book, which is set for release on October 15, details Trump’s controversial interactions with Putin and provides insights into President Joe Biden’s foreign policy challenges.
According to excerpts published by The Washington Post on Tuesday, Trump dispatched a batch of test kits to Moscow in 2020, amidst a global pandemic that was wreaking havoc on American lives.
Putin accepted the supplies but requested that the shipment remain confidential, warning Trump that public knowledge of the aid might provoke a backlash against him. “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me,” Putin reportedly told Trump.
Woodward’s account also highlights that Trump has maintained a close personal relationship with Putin, speaking to him multiple times since leaving office in January 2021.
An unnamed aide indicated that Trump may have conversed with the Russian leader up to seven times post-presidency, including a private call at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida earlier this year.
The timing of Woodward’s revelations is particularly significant as they emerge just weeks before the upcoming US presidential election, where Trump is engaged in a competitive race against Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
The book also sheds light on Biden’s struggles with foreign policy, particularly his frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In his portrayal of Biden, Woodward quotes the president expressing frustration over Netanyahu’s strategies. In a heated exchange during an April call, Biden questioned Netanyahu’s approach, saying, “Bibi, you’ve got no strategy,” in response to the Israeli leader’s plans for military actions in Gaza.
The Trump campaign has condemned Woodward’s book, labeling it “trash” and dismissing it as a collection of “made-up stories.”
Campaign communications director Steven Cheung criticized Woodward, asserting that the journalist suffers from “a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”