US president’s crass behaviour exposed in explosive book
Bob Woodward, who helped bring down Richard Nixon as president by breaking the Watergate scandal, reveals a White House under Trump
Donald Trump’s most senior aides and appointees privately said he was “unhinged“, an “idiot” and has the intellectual capacity of a “fifth-grader”, according to an explosive new book.
The US president’s senior aides are also quoted expressing fears that he could come across as a “goddamn dumbbell” and that he has gone “off the rails”. His top economic adviser reportedly “stole” letters from his desk to stop the president making dramatic changes in America’s trade policy.
The explosive claims come from a new book by Bob Woodward, the reporter who helped bring down Richard Nixon as president by exposing the Watergate scandal.
Copies of the 448-page book, which was based on hundreds of hours of interviews and is titled Fear: Trump in the White House, were obtained by The Washington Post and CNN.
The excerpts paint a damning portrait of a president prone to rages whose struggles to understand national security issues have left aides despairing.
John Kelly, White House chief of staff, is said to have told a small group meeting: “He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails. We’re in Crazytown.”
James Mattis, the US defence secretary, is said to have been exasperated after trying to explain the importance of America’s military presence of the Korean Peninsula. Mattis reportedly told Trump: “We’re doing this in order to prevent World War Three.” But privately he allegedly commented that Trump had the understanding of “a fifth- or sixth-grader”.
Gary Cohn, Trump’s most senior economic adviser before his departure earlier this year, allegedly was “appalled” by a draft letter formalising America’s withdrawal from a trade agreement with South Korea and so “stole it” from Trump’s desk. Cohn is quoted as telling an associate: “I wouldn’t let him see it. He’s never going to see that document. Got to protect the country.”
One of Trump’s lawyers, John Dowd, who has left the White House, reportedly carried out a practice interview with Trump about the Russia investigation in which he stumbled, contradicted himself and lied – triggering a 30-minute rant from the president.
Dowd allegedly attempted to convince Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the Russia inquiry, not to interview the president. Dowd is quoted as saying: “I’m not going to sit there and let him look like an idiot. And you publish that transcript, because everything leaks in Washington, and the guys overseas are going to say, ‘I told you he was an idiot. I told you he was a goddamn dumbbell. What are we dealing with this idiot for?’” Dowd is said to have told Trump: “Don’t testify. It’s either that or an orange jumpsuit.” The president reportedly pushed back, saying he would be a “real good witness”. Afterwards Dowd quit.
The president is quoted saying of Jeff Sessions, the US Attorney General with whom he has fallen out over the Russia investigation: “This guy is mentally retarded. He’s this dumb southerner.”
He is said to have described Reince Priebus, his first chief of staff, as being “like a little rat” who “just scurries around”. The president also reportedly mocked HR McMaster, his former national security adviser, for wearing cheap suits that make him look “like a beer salesman”.
Trump’s erratic instincts and lack of curiosity about national security issues have alarmed senior foreign policy advisers, the book says. The president reportedly told James Mattis, the US defence secretary, to assassinate Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator, in April last year after he used chemical weapons. Trump is quoted as saying: “Let’s f — — — kill him! Let’s go in. Let’s kill the f — — — lot of them.” Mattis reportedly told a senior aide after the call: “We’re not going to do any of that.”
The president’s inner circle is said to call Trump’s lack of understanding about the importance of allies and diplomacy “The Big Problem”.
Priebus is quoted as saying: “When you put a snake and a rat and a falcon and a rabbit and a shark and a seal in a zoo without walls, things start getting nasty and bloody.”
Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, is quoted arguing with Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and White House adviser, about the access she enjoys. Bannon is said to have shouted: “You’re nothing but a f — — — staffer! You walk around this place and act like you’re in charge, and you’re not. You’re on staff!” Ms Trump reportedly replied: “I’m not a staffer! I’m the first daughter and I’m never going to be a staffer!” A White House spokesman called the book “nothing more than fabricated stories”. Kelly denied using the word “idiot”. — The Daily Telegraph
“He’s an idiot. It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything. He’s gone off the rails”
“Let’s f — — — kill him! Let’s go in. Let’s kill the f — — — lot of them” Trump is quoted as saying