President’s niece describes ‘toxic bully’ in forthcoming book

NEW YORK: A forthcoming book by President Donald Trump’s estranged niece describes him as a ‘‘toxic’’ bully who practises ‘‘cheating as a way of life,’’ values money above anything and belittles his own family members, according to a press release yesterday.

As well as those damning details, the press release from publisher Simon & Schuster said

Mary Trump’s book, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most

Dangerous Man, will be released on July 14, two weeks earlier than planned — even though the president’s brother is trying to block the tellall in court.

The publisher said it was moving up the release date due to ‘‘high demand and extraordinary interest’’.

‘‘[It] is the story of the most visible and powerful family in the world. And I am the only

Trump who is willing to tell it,’’ Mary Trump (55) wrote in an excerpt from the book’s prologue, included in yesterday’s release.

Having spent much time at the sprawling Queens home where President Trump and his siblings grew up, Mary Trump spoke from firsthand experience as she delved into embarrassing accounts about the leader of the free world, the press release said.

She recounted the ‘‘strange and harmful relationship’’ between her uncle and her father, Fred Trump jun, who died young after a long battle with alcoholism.

She also recalled the

‘‘appalling way Donald, Fred Trump’s favourite son, dismissed and derided him when he began to succumb to Alzheimer’s’’ in the late 1990s.

Other ‘‘explosive’’ portions of the book include vivid descriptions of the ‘‘twisted’’ values and behaviours Trump picked up as a young man, including. —

‘‘Financial worth is the same as selfworth; humans are only valued in monetary terms.’’

‘‘A ‘killer’ instinct is revered, while qualities like empathy, kindness and expertise are punished.’’

‘‘Taking responsibility for your failures is discouraged.’’

‘‘Cheating as a way of life.’’ Mary Trump is a clinical psychologist who has severed nearly all ties with her family.

Her spokesman questioned why the Trump family kept up muzzling efforts.

‘‘The act by a sitting president to muzzle a private citizen is just the latest in a series of disturbing behaviours which have already destabilised a fractured nation. If Mary cannot comment, one can only help but wonder: What is Donald Trump so afraid of?’’ — TCA