The Donald Trump campaign has denied claims from journalist Bob Woodward’s new book, War, which alleges that former President Donald Trump has had multiple phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin since leaving office. Additionally, according to Woodward's book, Trump sent Putin covert COVID-19 testing equipment. If verified, these allegations would cast doubt on the Logan Act, which forbids private individuals from communicating with foreign governments without authorization. According to federal law, breaking this conduct might result in fines, jail time, or both.
Trump Campaign Dismisses Allegations
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded to the allegations, stating, “None of these made-up stories by Bob Woodward are true.” Cheung went on to say that, in contrast to earlier access the writer had been given, Trump had not given Woodward permission to use the current book. He attacked Woodward even further, calling him afflicted with "a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome." Cheung also brought up Trump's continuing legal battle with Woodward about the release of taped interviews that were included in the 2020 book Rage. Trump is requesting damages totaling $50 million.
COVID-19 Test Kits Allegation
According to War, in 2020, Trump reportedly provided Putin with Abbott Point of Care COVID-19 testing machines. Woodward claims that Putin requested the transaction remain secret, to which Trump allegedly replied, “I don’t care … fine.” The alleged assistance to Putin, if verified, could raise questions about Trump’s relationship with the Russian leader during his presidency.
Communication After Presidency
Woodward claims that after leaving the White House in January 2021, Trump and Putin have remained in communication, citing allegations of up to seven phone conversations. No other source has verified these reported calls. According to reports, Jason Miller, a Trump assistant, claimed not to be aware of any such calls. President Biden's Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, stressed that while she could not definitively rule out the potential of calls, she was not aware of all of Trump's interactions with Putin.
Legal Battle Over Book Tapes
The campaign’s reaction follows recent developments in Trump’s legal dispute with Woodward over the use of audio recordings from interviews recorded between December 2019 and August 2020. In September 2023, Woodward and his publisher filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that they had used the audio fairly in their publication.