Woodward book: Trump says he knew coronavirus was ‘deadly’ and worse than the flu while intentionally misleading Americans

WAPO ^ | 9/9/2020 | Robert Costa and Philip Rucker

[bitt]

President Trump’s head popped up during his top-secret intelligence briefing in the Oval Office on Jan. 28 when the discussion turned to the coronavirus outbreak in China.

“This will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency,” national security adviser Robert C. O’Brien told Trump, according to a new book by Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward. “This is going to be the roughest thing you face.”

Matthew Pottinger, the deputy national security adviser, agreed. He told the president that after reaching contacts in China, it was evident that the world faced a health emergency on par with the flu pandemic of 1918, which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

Ten days later, Trump called Woodward and revealed that he thought the situation was far more dire than what he had been saying publicly.

“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said in a Feb. 7 call. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.”

“This is deadly stuff,” the president repeated for emphasis.

LISTEN:

[Flick Lives]

Fauci “intentionally mislead” the American people and said masks were not needed. He then said he lied to prevent a run on N95 masks need by healthcare workers. Press seems to have been fine with this lie.

[guido911]

I’m sorry. I guess when the president talks about grabbing women by the pussy and downplaying a deadly virus (that even I am convinced is overblown) it merits discussion. Didn’t know this was your echo chamber.

[NELSON111]

And so-why did Trump let him inside with a tape recorder and go in the record saying these things? It’s pretty stupid. It’s pretty stupid to call COVID deadlier than any flu and then downplay it-and put it all on tape for Woodward to use later when everyone can hear your voice. And not a single person here can deny that fact.

[mass55th]

If Woodward has had this info since the end of January, why did he hang on to it and not report it at the time, or even in the months following it? What does that say about him if he held on to it just to write a book. It says he’s full of $hit.

[Trump Girl Kit Cat]

Not only Fauci but the surgeon general said there was NO NEED for masks they said the mask would cause you to touch your face more!! They BOTH told the public DO NOT wear masks!!!

[desertfreedom765]

If anyone is an expert on misleading the American people it is Woodward and his creepy pal.

[Fedora]

Did Bill Casey call Woodward from the great beyond to confirm the story? Woodward is a career liar on behalf of his puppet masters in the intelligence community. He cut a deal with Robert F. Bennett to keep the CIA out of his Watergate reporting in exchange for favors from the intelligence community (from a Nedzi Report memo: "Mr. Bennett said... that he has been feeding stories to Bob Woodward of the Washington Post with the understanding that there be no attribution to.. Bennett. Woodward is suitably grateful for the fine stories and by-lines which he gets and protects Bennett (and the Mullen Company). . ."). He has also benefitted from being an FBI conduit: Writer of piece, Josh Hersh, is Sy's son, works with Paul, my son at Huff Post. Sy, of course, hates, Woodward. I am told that these Woodward sources were FBI. Since Deep Throat, he has been an FBI asset, his career dependent.: Sidney Blumenthal to Hillary Clinton, 11/10/2012 He and Bernstein provided the template for the attacks on Trump, and they were both involved in launching and promoting the phony dossier story. Bernstein released the story, Woodward covered with damage control for CNN while continuing to promote the Mueller investigation with more hit pieces. Woodward would sell his own mother if he thought it would sell another copy of his book.

Intel chiefs presented Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise him: By Evan Perez, Jim Sciutto, Jake Tapper and Carl Bernstein, CNN: Updated 5:26 PM ET, Thu January 12, 2017 (original January 10, 2017)

Bob Woodward: the CNN story was 'exactly right' (January 17, 2017)

White House blasts 'reckless' Woodward, doesn't rule out possibility of lawsuit (09/10/2018)

[Williams]

I’ve read it and don’t think Trump said anything contradictory or improper.

He took bold action early on and acknowledged the threat, while Nancy Pelosi was partying with a crowd in Chinatown.

This story is “Trump said something about the virus, let’s sensationalize it!”

[billyboy15]

So why did Fauci, the so called “expert” make a point in saying this virus did not present any real threat to us and we had nothing to worry about? Why was Fauci...the “expert” against shutting down travel from first China and then Europe and other selected Nations? Why was Trump accused of xenophobia for doing this?

Seems to me all the Administration need do here is point to the actual actions taken by the President in response to what he actually said.

Personally I recall he said it was so serious that we would have 2 MILLION Americans dead if he didn’t shut down the Nation (on the advice of the fraud Fauci and Birx).

[hal ogen]

mitt...is that you??? jeb???

[Sicon]

Bob Woodward?! You mean, the useless hack journalist who has been living off of Watergate for almost 50 years? That washed up, self-serving sack of Obama?!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!

[billyboy15]

There was no leak. He gave an interview to Woodward and it was recorded as I am sure the President was aware of and I am sure there were others in the room as well.

Given his actions and what he said in all his pressers held on a daily basis I’m not seeing a problem in this easily being handled.

[hal ogen]

"beginning to think..."???

[ScottinVA]

He was recorded on audiotape.

If he’s re-elected, he would be well advised to NOT allow free reign of ANY media in the White House, especially liberal hacks like Woodward.

[ScottinVA]

Well, you know why he held onto it until now. He serves the democrats.

[Jewbacca]

Concur.

[Jewbacca]

And you now see how powerful understatement can be.

[Mozzafiato]

So frustrating, there is no point in Trump speaking to Woodward. This just gives CNN/MSNBC etc 3 days worth of material and infiltrates the brains of the mushy middle who watch that tripe and are unable to decipher truth from fiction.

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t know when that tape was made. It may tell, but I
wasn’t interested enough to look.

Back in the February/March time-frame, it was accepted that
COVID-19 was a particularly large threat.

We had certain nations like Italy melting down, and we ddin’t
know if that would happen to us or not. Trump was essentially
forced to take drastic actions, and address it as a big
threat.

We had people on this bulletin board frantic with calamitous
talk about how bad it would be. How many times did I get
told, “THIS IS NOT THE FLU YOU F’ING IDIOT!” I lost count
somewhere in the 100s.

Well, they were right. It was far less than the flu.

I’m not taking Trump to task at all. None of us could have
done better with the information at the time.

Woodward is such an a$$hole. Generations have dined on
his swill.

Presidents grant interviews. Who knew?

[ScottinVA]

I will never understand why GOP presidents let their guard down around Woodward. They all let themselves get lulled into thinking Woodward will play fair with them, and f**ks them every time.