In his new book by renowned journalist Bob Woodward, it is stated that the relationship between Trump and Putin remained intact even after Trump left the presidency. According to the book, starting in 2021, the two leaders held “maybe as many as seven” secret phone calls, according to CNN.
The book also mentions that during the pandemic, Vladimir Putin asked Donald Trump to keep secret the fact that he had sent him a bunch of Abbott Point of Care Covid test machines for his personal use.
In 2020, Trump reportedly sent Putin some COVID-19 testing devices from Abbott Point of Care, a U.S. company. According to the journalist, Putin warned Trump that disclosing this information could lead to negative reactions.
“Please don’t tell anyone that you sent them to me,” Putin is quoted as saying. Trump allegedly replied, “I don’t care, let it be.” But Putin insisted: “No, no, don’t tell anyone. People will be mad at you, not me. They don’t care about me”, The Daily Beast reports, citing CNN.
In March 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Abbott’s COVID-19 tests for emergency use, delivering positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes.
Woodward, now 81, also discusses how Trump’s relationship with Putin continued after his presidency. Citing an aide, the book claims Trump had several phone calls with Putin during this period.
U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines avoided commenting on Trump’s contacts with Putin, saying, “I can’t claim to be aware of all contacts.”
The book further contrasts Joe Biden’s approach to Putin. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Biden reportedly referred to Putin as “the embodiment of evil” during an Oval Office meeting. The author claims that at one point, Biden’s national security team believed there was a 50% chance Russia might use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Excerpts from the book sparked a strong reaction to Trump’s election campaign.
Campaign communications director Steven Cheung dismissed the book as “a collection of completely fabricated stories,” calling Woodward “a bitter man obsessed with Trump” and suggesting the book belongs “in the discount section or as toilet paper.”