A new book by veteran journalist Bob Woodward claims that former U.S. President Donald Trump secretly sent Covid-19 testing machines to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the early days of the pandemic, when such equipment was in short supply. According to War, the book set to be released next week, Trump sent the machines for Putin’s personal use, a claim the Trump campaign has strongly denied.
In response to the allegations, Trump told ABC News, "He's a storyteller. A bad one. And he's lost his marbles." The Trump campaign also issued a statement calling the book "trash" and accusing Woodward of creating "made-up stories." Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung added, “President Trump gave him absolutely no access for this trash book,” dismissing its content as fictional.
Woodward’s book also claims Trump and Putin have remained in contact since Trump left office in 2021, allegedly speaking several times, though these claims have not been corroborated. According to excerpts published by The New York Times, the book describes a scene in which a Trump aide was asked to leave the room at Mar-a-Lago during a call between Trump and Putin.
The Kremlin has denied these claims, and the book has stirred fresh controversy surrounding Trump's relationship with Putin, which has been scrutinized during previous election cycles. The BBC has not seen a copy of the book but has reported on the reactions and statements from both sides.
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