Kremlin Rejects Claims of Trump-Putin Calls Post-Presidency
Bob Woodward’s upcoming book “War” which will be published early next year, Bob Woodward makes the claim that former President Donald Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin privately at least twice since he left office, a claim that the Kremlin denies. The issue arises given Trump is contesting in a closely fought presidential election against Kamala Harris putting voter perception at risk before the November polls.
Concerns with secret meetings
In the case of Mar-a-Lago, Bob Woodward’s upcoming book documents an incident when Trump allegedly asked an assistant to step out of his office to take a call from Putin. A Trump aide, unknown to the public, mentioned in the book claimed there could have been up to seven such calls since January 2021. What was said in the book has stirred the political leadership on matters concerning the nature and content of these alleged communications. The timing of such claims has therefore attracted a lot of criticism because they are made in the middle of a presidential election campaign.
Trump’s campaign has categorically dismissed these allegations as falsehoods from Woodward who the campaign accused of fabricating the story. These denials were reinforced by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov when asked if Putin had contacts with Trump after his presidency, he said “No, that’s not true.” Nevertheless, the accusations have brought Trump’s earlier relations with foreign leaders and his foreign policy demeanor during his presidency back into the spotlight.
Impact on Presidential Race
The question of whether these alleged communications occurred can be detrimental to Trump’s presidential campaign against Kamala Harris. According to political commentators such claims, irrespective of their veracity, could affect voters’ perceptions, especially about Trump’s conduct with world leaders and international politics. The release of the book at the time when the presidential race heated up has triggered some to wonder about the political agenda it may carry.
They have also brought back debates on Trump’s interactions with autocrats during his time in office. For the entire duration of his presidency, Trump was accused of having Russian attachments in particular Putin and more so the North Korean, Kim Jong-Un which he complimented but never criticized. These controversies can be reignited with the upcoming election scheduled for November 5; they may help to draw the attention to Trump’s unprecedented movement and his potential for further presidency in terms of foreign policy.
