Interview Broadcast For Rage's Book Reveals The Secret Behind Trump's Antipathic Attitude To COVID-19

Presiden AS Donald Trump (Instagram/@RealDonaldTrump)

JAKARTA - The book titled Rage will be released on 15 September. Written by journalist Bob Woodward, the book will tell a story about the life of the President of the United States (US) Donald Trump. In that book Trump reveals a little secret about why he feels so antipathy to COVID-19.

Woodward interviewed Trump for the book. To Woodward, Trump admitted that he deliberately played down the dangers of the health crisis caused by COVID-19 even though in fact he had a lot of evidence about the dangers of COVID-19. Trump said he was doing this to reduce the impact of the panic caused by the pandemic.

"I want to keep it down all the time," Trump said, in an interview with Woodward, March 19. The interview took place days after the US declared a national state of emergency. "I still like to play it down, because I don't want to panic."

Interview between Trump and Woodward broadcast on CNN, Wednesday, September 9. In that interview Trump claimed to have known the dangers of the corona virus since early February. "The virus is in the air," Trump said in an interview with Woodward on another date, February 7.

"It's always more dangerous than touch. You don't have to touch something (if you don't want to catch it). Good? But air, you breathe air and that's how it is (catching it). And it's very complicated. It's very complicated. The virus is deadlier than the bad flu, "Trump added.

US President Donald Trump during one of his campaigns (Instagram / @ realdonaldtrump)

A week after the interview Trump said in a briefing at the White House that the number of COVID-19 cases in the US "in a few days will drop to near zero." Woodward himself was criticized for keeping Trump's comments on the dangers of the corona virus to himself. In fact, Trump's statement is one of the most important keys for the US, which has been facing a pandemic for months.

Woodward defended himself, saying, "He (Trump) told me that and I thought, 'wow, that's interesting. But is it true?' Doesn't Trump often say inappropriate things? " said Woodward.

Rage Donald Trump's book

In the process of writing the book, Woodward conducted 18 interviews with Trump. Another thing that was revealed was related to Trump's statements about US military leaders. Trump has drawn criticism following reports that he has demeaned veteran and military personnel.

In Woodward's book, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis' aide overhears Trump say "the damn generals are a bunch of cowards" because they care more about alliances than trade deals. Mattis asked his aides to document the comments in email.

Rage is a sequel to the book titled Fear: Trump in the White House which was released by Woodward in 2018. The momentum of Rage's appearance is highlighted because it appears just weeks before the US Presidential Election which will be held on November 3. The book also comes amid criticism of Trump's efforts to fight COVID-19.

Bob Woodward (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

Returning to the March 19 conversation between Trump and Woodward. As Reuters wrote, in that chat Trump told Woodward some "shocking facts" that point to the level of risk for COVID-19. Trump at that time said he understood that COVID-19 not only affects the elderly, but also young people. The risks are the same between the two.

Trump's figure is very controversial about COVID-19. He is known to be so antipathy. Trump, even so far, has always defended himself by stating that his handling of COVID-19, which has killed more than 190 thousand people in the US, has been very good.

“The fact is I am the cheerleader for this country. I love this country and I don't want people to be scared, "Trump said, one day at the White House." We did well by any standard. "