A years-old tweet by President Trump that resurfaced Tuesday could create difficulties for White House aides as they attempt to discredit a new book about his administration by veteran Washington journalist Bob Woodward.
“Only the Obama [White House] can get away with attacking Bob Woodward,” Trump wrote in March 2013 amid a running dispute between the longtime reporter and Barack Obama’s staff over Woodward’s criticism of the president’s messaging on budget cuts.
Only the Obama WH can get away with attacking Bob Woodward.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2013
Trump’s tweet resurfaced just as his own staff released a statement describing Woodward’s forthcoming book about him as “nothing more than fabricated stories, many by former disgruntled employees.” White House chief of staff John Kelly separately disputed an excerpt from the book, “Fear: Trump in the White House,” in which he was accused of calling the president an “idiot.”
“The idea I ever called the President an idiot is not true,” Kelly said, referring back to a statement he issued in May when it was first reported he had insulted Trump’s intelligence.
Neither statement specifically attacked Woodward, whose coverage of the Watergate scandal played an iconic role during the Nixon administration and whose work Trump complimented during a phone call last month.
According to a transcript released by the Washington Post earlier Tuesday of an August phone call between Woodward and Trump, the president said he would have “loved” to have sat for an interview for Woodward’s new book.
“I would’ve loved to have spoken to you. You know I’m very open to you. I think you’ve always been fair,” Trump said, as he griped about his aides’ failure to relay Woodward’s interview request. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
