“On August 14, the coronavirus pandemic was on fire in the US. More than 168,000 Americans had died, with more than 1,300 deaths that day alone. But when President Donald Trump called legendary journalist Bob Woodward, it was to find out one thing: He had recently learned that Woodward’s new book ‘Rage’ was done and would be coming out in September, and Trump wanted to find out how he’d be portrayed. It was their 19th conversation, following 18 interviews that formed a key component of Woodward’s book. Trump had privately told Woodward in February he knew critical details about how deadly the virus was, and in March admitted he was playing it down. On August 14, Trump peppered the veteran two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with questions about the book and what exactly was in it.”
Woodward: “It’s gonna be a contest between you and Biden. It’s gonna be a contest between both of you and the virus. The virus is- because it’s in real people’s lives, you know, all those tens of millions of people who don’t have jobs, who don’t have-”
Trump: “I know.”
Woodward: “Listen, I mean, you and I -”
Trump: “Nothing more could have been done. Nothing more could have been done.”
Read more and listen to audio at CNN.