Topline
Journalist Bob Woodward said Wednesday he didn’t release bombshell interviews with President Donald Trump earlier because he wanted to confirm that Trump—who, according to the interviews, believed the coronavirus was “deadly stuff” as far back as February but decided to downplay it publicly—was repeating reliable information.
Key Facts
In interviews with Woodward during February and March, Trump called the coronavirus “deadly stuff” and admitted to downplaying the threat the virus posed in public to avoid a panic.
Woodward is facing widespread criticism for withholding information from those interviews until his book, Rage, which will be published on September 15, was ready to come out.
Woodward told the Washington Post and the Associated Press that he didn’t publish an article based on the interview right away because he was unsure where Trump was getting his information and didn’t know if it was accurate.
Woodward said it took him until May to confirm that Trump’s information originated from a high-level intelligence briefing in January, and said he didn’t publish then because “he believes his highest purpose isn’t to write daily stories but to give his readers the big picture — one that may have a greater effect, especially with a consequential election looming,” according to Washington Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan.
Crucial Quote
“He tells me this, and I’m thinking, ‘Wow, that’s interesting, but is it true?’ Trump says things that don’t check out, right?” Woodward told the Associated Press.
Key Background
Trump appeared to confirm Woodward’s reporting Wednesday during an event at the White House. “The fact is I’m a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don’t want people to be frightened. I don’t want to create panic, as you say, and certainly I’m not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy,” he said. But Trump’s comments still drew harsh criticism from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who called them a “life and death betrayal of the American people,” and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who asked why Republicans haven’t staged an intervention for the president.
Tangent
According to CNN, Woodward’s book also reveals that an aide to then-Defense Secretary James Mattis overheard Trump saying disparaging comments about the military, including, “my f*cking generals are a bunch of p*ssies.” Those comments echo reporting from the Atlantic last week that Trump called U.S. service members killed in combat “suckers” and “losers,” which the White House has denied.
