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Trump brands Woodward book as "FAKE" despite reportedly sitting for 17 interviews

Photos: Michael Kovac/Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

President Trump lashed out at journalist Bob Woodward's upcoming book "Rage," calling it "FAKE" in a pair of Friday tweets.

Why it matters: Trump participated extensively in Woodward's research for the book, sitting for 17 interviews at the White House, Mar-a-Lago and over the phone between December 2019 and late July 2020, CNN reported.

  • "Everybody does phony books on Donald Trump and Republicans, just like the Fake Dossier, which turned out to be a total fraud perpetrated by Crooked Hillary Clinton and the DNC," the president tweeted.

The big picture: The book, a follow-up to Woodward's 2018 tome "Fear," is expected to have insider knowledge on Trump's recent thoughts and actions on national security, the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and the Black Lives Matter protests.

  • Woodward did hundreds of hours of interviews with first-hand witnesses in preparation, according to his publisher.
  • He also obtained notes, emails, diaries and calendars — as well as 25 previously unseen personal letters between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Go deeper

Zach Dorfman of the Aspen Institute, author of Codebook
Sep 30, 2020 - World

Trump's business dealings raise security concerns, too

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Even before the recent New York Times bombshell on Trump's taxes, the president's financial entanglements raised the specter of foreign influence.

The big picture: Although Trump has said he turned over day-to-day management of the Trump Organization to his two sons, he hasn't divested from any of his businesses. Revelations from the Times report add to concerns that this state of affairs is shaping elements of Trump's foreign policy.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Jonathan Swan
3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Gina Haspel threatened to resign over plan to install Kash Patel as CIA deputy

CIA Director Gina Haspel. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

CIA Director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in early December after President Trump cooked up a hasty plan to install loyalist Kash Patel, a former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), as her deputy, according to three senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the matter.

Why it matters: The revelation stunned national security officials and almost blew up the leadership of the world's most powerful spy agency. Only a series of coincidences — and last minute interventions from Vice President Mike Pence and White House counsel Pat Cipollone — stopped it.

Go deeper (3 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Health: Coronavirus deaths reach 4,000 per day as hospitals remain in crisis mode — CDC warns highly transmissible coronavirus variant could become dominant in U.S. in March.
  2. Politics: Biden says, "We will manage the hell out of" vaccine distribution — Biden taps ex-FDA chief to lead Operation Warp Speed amid rollout of COVID plan — Widow of GOP congressman-elect who died of COVID-19 will run to fill his seat.
  3. Vaccine: Battling Black mistrust of the vaccines — "Pharmacy deserts" could become vaccine deserts — Instacart to give $25 to shoppers who get vaccine.
  4. Economy: Unemployment filings explode again — Fed chair: No interest rate hike coming any time soon —  Inflation rose more than expected in December.
  5. World: WHO team arrives in China to investigate pandemic origins.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow