The Latest: White House pushes back against book’s claims

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on a new book about President Donald Trump (all times local):

2:05 p.m.

Representatives for President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are pushing back against an explosive new book that, among other things, says Trump never expected to be elected and that his wife shed tears, but not of joy, on election night.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says the book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” by Michael Wolff, is filled with “false and misleading accounts from individuals who have no access or influence with the White House.”

Sanders continues: “Participating in a book that can only be described as trashy tabloid fiction exposes their sad desperate attempts at relevancy.”

Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s spokeswoman, says: “Mrs. Trump supported her husband’s decision to run for president and, in fact, encouraged him to do so. She was confident he would win and was very happy when he did.”

___

1:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump is blasting his former chief strategist ahead of the release of a new, unflattering book.

Trump says in the statement Wednesday that when Bannon was fired, “he not only lost his job, he lost his mind.”

A new book by writer Michael Wolff offers a series of explosive revelations, including that Trump never expected to win the 2016 presidential race.

An adaptation of “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” published Wednesday in New York magazine says Trump believed his nomination would boost his brand and deliver “untold opportunities.”

An excerpt published by The Guardian says Bannon described a Trump Tower meeting between the president’s son and a group of Russians as “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.”

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.