Donald Trump asked to participate in Bob Woodward’s book — but too late

Donald Trump asked Bob Woodward if he could participate in the author’s book about his presidency; but only after the manuscript was completed.

Donald Trump called Bob Woodward asking to be interviewed for his book — but only after the manuscript had been completed. Picture: AFP.

Donald Trump asked Bob Woodward if he could participate in the author’s book about his presidency — but only after the manuscript had been completed, The Washington Post has revealed.

Woodward had made repeated requests for an interview with the US President in the course of writing what became a devastating portrait of the Trump White House, but he was repeatedly knocked back.

However in an 11 minute phone call, Mr Trump claimed that White House staff had never informed him about the requests and said the book would be “inaccurate” without his input.

Woodward’s book Fear: Trump in the White House reveals a dysfunctional White House described by Chief of Staff John Kelly as “crazy town,” where aides hid important but risky papers from the president so he couldn’t sign them.

Amongst its claims are that:

• Mr Trump’s lawyer believes he is such a “f***ing liar” that if he testified to Special Counsel Robert Mueller he could end up in “an orange jumpsuit” because he’d perjure himself

• Aides, fearful Mr Trump wasn’t up to the job, carried out “an administrative coup d’etat” to prevent him from making dangerous decisions

• Mr Trump called Defence Secretary James Mattis demanding he assassinate Syrian president Bashar Assad.

Opinion: The mind-blowing chat between Woodward and Trump https://t.co/Ov86I5BoJV

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 4, 2018

In the transcript of the phone call published by the Washington Post, Mr Trump claims he would have “loved” to be interviewed by the Pulitzer Prize wining journalist.

“It’s really too bad, because nobody told me about it, and I would’ve loved to have spoken to you. You know I’m very open to you. I think you’ve always been fair,” he tells Woodward.

In response, Woodward points out that he went to a series of White House aides requesting an interview, but was brushed off or passed down the line.

Mr Trump admits that US Senator Lindsey Graham had told him about one request but qualifies the admission by saying it was only during a quick conversation.

“Senator Graham actually mentioned it quickly in one meeting … and I would certainly have thought that maybe you would’ve called the office,” he says, before asking adviser Kellyanne Conway why she hadn’t told him about the requests.

“I would’ve been very happy to speak to him. All right, so what are you going to do?” Mr Trump asks Ms Conway. “So I have another bad book coming out. Big deal.”

He goes on to recount what he views as his successes. “You do know I’m doing a great job for the country … You do understand that stuff? I mean, I hope,” he says.

Woodward repeats that he “broke my spear” trying to get an interview with Mr Trump, who puts Kellyanne Conway on the phone — and on the spot — with the author.

Conway claims she took his request up the line but “it was rejected.”

“I can only take it so far,” she says.

In what appears to be a testy exchange, Woodward points out: “You and I spent a whole lunch on it, Kellyanne. And I said, I want to cover the substantive issues in foreign policy and domestic policy. And you said you would get back to me. Nothing.”

Ms Conway responds: “I presented it to the people here who make those decisions, but . ..” refusing to name the people.

Mr Trump ends the conversation by repeating that without his input the book would be inaccurate. When Woodward protests that he is accurate, Mr Trump replies: “Well, accurate is that nobody’s ever done a better job than I’m doing as president. That I can tell you.”