White House: New Woodward book ‘nothing more than fabricated stories’

The White House on Tuesday said explosive claims in a forthcoming book from veteran journalist Bob Woodward are “nothing more than fabricated stories.”

“This book is nothing more than fabricated stories, many by former disgruntled employees, told to make the President look bad,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

Sanders did not refute any specific anecdotes or claims in the book, but praised President Trump for his ability to “get results,” and included a list of the administration’s accomplishments in her statement to reporters.

{mosads}”Sometimes it is unconventional, but he always gets results,” Sanders said. “Democrats and their allies in the media understand the President’s policies are working and with success like this, no one can beat him in 2020 – not even close.”

White House chief of staff John Kelly — who is quoted in Woodward’s book as calling Trump “unhinged” and an “idiot” and described working in the administration as “the worst job I’ve ever had” — denied calling Trump an “idiot.”

Kelly said he “firmly stands behind” the statement he provided after NBC News reported in April that he called Trump an “idiot.” 

“I spend more time with the President than anyone else and we have an incredibly candid and strong relationship. He always knows where I stand, and he and I both know this story is total BS,” Kelly said in April and again on Tuesday.

“I’m committed to the President, his agenda, and our country,” he continued. “This is another pathetic attempt to smear people close to President Trump and distract from the administration’s many successes.”

The Washington Post published excerpts from Woodward’s book on Tuesday. The book details numerous alleged instances of conflict between the president and his staff, and paints the picture of a dysfunctional White House full of “predators,” in the words of former chief of staff Reince Priebus.

Trump and aides bad-mouthed one another often, according to The Washington Post excerpts. The Post obtained a copy of the forthcoming book, titled “Fear: Trump in the White House.”

Woodward’s book, which is set for a Sept. 11 release, is based on hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand sources, meeting notes, personal diaries, files and documents.

The reporter unsuccessfully attempted to interview the president for the book. The Washington Post published the transcript and audio of an 11-minute call between Trump and Woodward that took place in August, after the manuscript was completed.

Woodward told the president he spoke with roughly a half-dozen staffers to request an interview with Trump. The president claimed he never heard about the requests.

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

Trump on Tuesday had not yet publicly commented or tweeted about Woodward’s book.