Vladimir Putin Urged Donald Trump to Keep COVID-19 Test Machine Shipment a Secret, Claims Bob Woodward in New Book
A new book by investigative journalist Bob Woodward reveals that during the COVID-19 pandemic, then-U.S. President Donald Trump secretly sent a shipment of COVID-19 testing machines to Russian President Vladimir Putin for private use. According to Woodward’s book, War, Putin asked Trump to keep the shipment confidential to avoid public backlash. The book further alleges that the relationship between Trump and Putin continued even after Trump left office, with as many as seven secret phone calls between the two since 2021.
The Secret COVID-19 Test Machines
Woodward claims that in 2020, Trump arranged for a batch of Abbott Point of Care COVID-19 testing machines to be sent to Putin, intended for his personal use. These machines, authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under emergency use provisions, were in high demand in the U.S. at the time. Abbott’s machines were praised for delivering COVID-19 results in as little as five minutes for positive cases and 13 minutes for negatives, making them crucial during the height of the pandemic.
The shipment, however, was kept under wraps at Putin’s request. According to the book, Putin warned Trump that admitting to sending the machines would anger people in both the U.S. and Russia. “Please don’t tell anybody you sent these to me,” Putin reportedly said. Trump, according to Woodward, responded dismissively, saying, “I don’t care. Fine.” Putin allegedly pressed the issue, telling Trump, “No, no. I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me. They don’t care about me.”
The Continued Relationship After Trump’s Presidency
Woodward’s book goes on to detail the continuation of the Trump-Putin relationship after Trump left the White House. According to Woodward, there have been as many as seven private phone calls between the former president and the Russian leader since 2021. These alleged calls occurred despite growing tensions between the U.S. and Russia, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
One of the more striking claims in the book is that Trump once asked a senior aide at Mar-a-Lago to leave the room so he could have a private conversation with Putin. Trump’s aide, Jason Miller, reportedly told Woodward that he wasn’t aware of any recent communication between Trump and Putin, while current U.S. intelligence officials have declined to confirm whether any such calls took place. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was quoted as saying, “I would not purport to be aware of all contacts with Putin. I wouldn’t purport to speak to what President Trump may or may not have done.”
Putin and Biden: A Stark Contrast
Woodward’s War highlights the stark difference between Trump’s and President Joe Biden’s approach to dealing with Putin. While Trump maintained a cordial, secretive relationship with the Russian leader, Biden has been far more critical, especially in the wake of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine. According to Woodward, Biden’s national security team at one point believed there was a 50% chance that Putin would resort to using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Woodward quotes Biden expressing his disdain for the Russian president during a meeting with top advisors after the Ukraine invasion: “That fucking Putin. Putin is evil. We are dealing with the epitome of evil.”
Trump Campaign Responds
As expected, the release of these explosive claims from Woodward’s book has elicited a strong response from Trump’s camp. Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s 2024 campaign, dismissed the allegations as false, accusing Woodward of fabricating stories for personal gain. “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,” Cheung said. He further attacked Woodward’s credibility, calling him “an angry, little man” and his book “trash that belongs in the fiction section of a discount bookstore.”
Conclusion
Bob Woodward’s book, War, brings to light concerning details about the relationship between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, particularly during a time of global crisis. The alleged secret exchange of COVID-19 testing machines and the ongoing communication between the two leaders raise questions about the nature of their relationship and its implications for U.S. foreign policy. While Trump’s campaign has vehemently denied the claims, Woodward’s history of uncovering significant political scandals, including Watergate, ensures that his revelations will continue to be a focal point of political debate.
