Washington Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward’s upcoming book on the Trump Administration, Rage, has a multitude of revelations about Trump and the Trump Administration–including recordings of Trump’s 18 on-the-record interviews with the author–that show a duplicitous and megalomaniacal acting to promote himself and stroke his ego at the cost of public safety and national security.
- In a March 19th phone interview, Trump confessed to underplaying the potential harm of the coronavirus, saying of his public statements: “To be honest with you, I wanted to always play it down. I still like paying it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.” On that day, the US already had just fewer than 15,000 cases and 240 fatalities from coronavirus.
- When Woodward suggested that the Administration had a responsibility to “understand the anger and pain” of the Black community, Trump responded incredulously, “No. You really drank the Kool-Aid, didn’t you? Just listen to you. Wow. No, I don’t feel that at all.”
- Trump raged at Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other Democrats sitting expressionless while he gave the 2020 State of the Union. “Hate! See the hate! See the hate!” he yelled when viewing reaction shots of them in the audience.
- Trump continues to denigrate President Barack Obama, even referencing Kim Jong-un. According to the Post:
“I don’t think Obama’s smart,” Trump told Woodward. “I think he’s highly overrated. And I don’t think he’s a great speaker.” Trump added that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un thought Obama was “an asshole.”
- Trump brushed off Administration officials and national security professionals who told him meeting with Kim would be a bad move because it would legitimize Kim on the world stage and elevate his position.
- Kim stroked Trump’s ego by referring to him as “Your Excellency” and saying their meeting “reminiscent of a scene from a fantasy film.” Kim said he and Trump developed a “deep and special friendship between us will work as a magical force.”
- Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was so concerned about Trump’s stability that he went to the Washington National Cathedral to pray. Mattis also warned former Director of National Intelligence, “There may come a time when we have to take collective action” since Trump is “dangerous. He’s unfit.”