Trump gifted secret COVID test devices to Putin - New book claims
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that in 2020, when Donald Trump was president, he sent COVID-19 testing devices to Vladimir Putin. This information is revealed in Bob Woodward's new book.
According to Bloomberg, Peskov confirmed some details from the yet-to-be-published book in a written response to the agency's questions. The spokesman stated that Putin did indeed receive American COVID-19 testing devices from Trump, specifically from Abbott, while adding that Russia "also sent equipment at the beginning of the pandemic."
"But about the phone calls — it’s not true," said Peskov.
According to excerpts from Woodward's book "Rage," as described by CNN, the journalist known for uncovering the Watergate scandal claims that Trump allegedly sent the then-hard-to-obtain machines to Putin for his personal use. The Russian president reportedly asked Trump to keep the gift a secret, stating that "people will get mad at you, not me."
Contacts after the end of Trump's term
The journalist claims the two politicians remained in contact after Trump's term ended and, according to a former president’s adviser, they talked "up to seven times." The book describes a scene where the former president tells advisers to leave the room because he wants to have a "private conversation" with Putin. When asked about this, Trump's adviser, Jason Miller, stated he was not aware of such conversations. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines did not provide a clear answer, saying that she "would not purport to be aware of all contacts with Putin" and she "wouldn’t purport to speak to what President Trump may or may not have done."
Trump's team stated that "none of these made-up stories by Bob Woodward are true and are the work of a truly demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome."
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris also addressed the revelations on Tuesday during an appearance on comedian Stephen Colbert's evening entertainment program.
"I ask everyone here and everyone who is watching: Do you remember what those days were like? You remember how many people did not have tests and were trying to scramble to get them?" Harris asked. "And this man is giving COVID test kits to Vladimir Putin? Think about what this means on top of him sending love letters to Kim Jong Un … He thinks that’s his friend. What about the American people? They should be your first friend," she added.
