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| Trump seen as a child by staff, says Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff | Trump seen as a child by staff, says Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The author of a controversial book on Donald Trump says that all his White House aides see him as a "child" who needs "immediate gratification". | The author of a controversial book on Donald Trump says that all his White House aides see him as a "child" who needs "immediate gratification". |
| Michael Wolff said his book was based on about 200 interviews, and rejected Mr Trump's claims that it was "phony" and "full of lies". | Michael Wolff said his book was based on about 200 interviews, and rejected Mr Trump's claims that it was "phony" and "full of lies". |
| The president says he never spoke to him but Wolff told NBC's Today show that they spent three hours together. | The president says he never spoke to him but Wolff told NBC's Today show that they spent three hours together. |
| The book has now gone on sale early despite Mr Trump's attempts to stop it. | The book has now gone on sale early despite Mr Trump's attempts to stop it. |
| Mr Trump's lawyers had tried to block publication of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, alleging it contained many falsehoods and saying they were considering pursuing libel charges. | Mr Trump's lawyers had tried to block publication of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, alleging it contained many falsehoods and saying they were considering pursuing libel charges. |
| The president himself tweeted on Friday that the "phony new book" was being pushed by the media and others to hurt him. He added: "They should try winning an election. Sad!" | The president himself tweeted on Friday that the "phony new book" was being pushed by the media and others to hurt him. He added: "They should try winning an election. Sad!" |
| Wolff said that White House staff described the president as childlike because "he has the need for immediate gratification. It's all about him... This man does not read, does not listen. He's like a pinball just shooting off the sides." | |
| Despite the storm over the book, the Trump administration has been pressing ahead with its agenda. | |
| On Thursday, it unveiled a plan to expand offshore drilling, opened the door to a crackdown on state-legal marijuana sales, cut off security assistance to Pakistan and took credit for economic growth as the Dow Jones index crossed the 25,000 mark for the first time. | |
| What did Wolff say about his research? | What did Wolff say about his research? |
| The president said he had not given Wolff access to the White House nor spoken to him for the book. | The president said he had not given Wolff access to the White House nor spoken to him for the book. |
| But Wolff responded: "What was I doing there if he didn't want me to be there? I absolutely spoke to the president... It was not off the record." | But Wolff responded: "What was I doing there if he didn't want me to be there? I absolutely spoke to the president... It was not off the record." |
| He said he had spent three hours with Mr Trump in total, both during the election campaign and after the inauguration. | He said he had spent three hours with Mr Trump in total, both during the election campaign and after the inauguration. |
| Hitting back in the television interview at White House attacks, he said the president had no credibility and that "100% of the people around him" question his fitness for office. | Hitting back in the television interview at White House attacks, he said the president had no credibility and that "100% of the people around him" question his fitness for office. |
| Wolff said it was "extraordinary" that the president of the US would try to stop publication of his book, a move that "the CEO of a mid-sized company" would not attempt. | Wolff said it was "extraordinary" that the president of the US would try to stop publication of his book, a move that "the CEO of a mid-sized company" would not attempt. |
| What is in the book? | What is in the book? |
| The book cites former top aide Steve Bannon as describing a meeting at Trump Tower in New York between a Russian lawyer and Trump election campaign officials, including Mr Trump's son Donald Jr, as "treasonous". | The book cites former top aide Steve Bannon as describing a meeting at Trump Tower in New York between a Russian lawyer and Trump election campaign officials, including Mr Trump's son Donald Jr, as "treasonous". |
| Both Mr Trump Jr and his father deny that any collusion with Russians to win the election took place. However Mr Bannon is quoted in the book as saying: "They're going to crack Don Junior like an egg on national TV." | Both Mr Trump Jr and his father deny that any collusion with Russians to win the election took place. However Mr Bannon is quoted in the book as saying: "They're going to crack Don Junior like an egg on national TV." |
| The meeting is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of his inquiry into possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russians. | The meeting is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of his inquiry into possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russians. |
| The book makes many other claims, including that: | The book makes many other claims, including that: |
| However, the accuracy of some excerpts has been criticised and questioned in the US media. | However, the accuracy of some excerpts has been criticised and questioned in the US media. |
| Still, even if only half of what the book contains is true, it paints a damning portrait of a paranoid president and a chaotic White House, BBC North America editor Jon Sopel says. | Still, even if only half of what the book contains is true, it paints a damning portrait of a paranoid president and a chaotic White House, BBC North America editor Jon Sopel says. |
| Will it actually hurt Trump? | Will it actually hurt Trump? |
| Analysis: BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher | Analysis: BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher |
| Donald Trump's supporters have seen many a media storm over the past few years, and somehow their man always emerges (relatively) unscathed. The book may be generating considerable heat among the chattering class, but there's little to indicate that its lasting impact will be much more than confirming long-held suspicions of Trump critics and re-enforcing the bunker mentality in the White House. | Donald Trump's supporters have seen many a media storm over the past few years, and somehow their man always emerges (relatively) unscathed. The book may be generating considerable heat among the chattering class, but there's little to indicate that its lasting impact will be much more than confirming long-held suspicions of Trump critics and re-enforcing the bunker mentality in the White House. |
| Outside Washington, in places where people don't devoutly follow every permutation of the presidential Twitter feed, the Trump administration is compiling a boast-worthy economic record. | Outside Washington, in places where people don't devoutly follow every permutation of the presidential Twitter feed, the Trump administration is compiling a boast-worthy economic record. |
| Despite some doom-and-gloom predictions following the 2016 election, the stock market has soared. Unemployment remains low. Major corporations are making high-profile moves to at least temporarily boost their workers' paycheques. And the president can start pointing to his party's tax bill as a tangible reason why the economy is humming along. | Despite some doom-and-gloom predictions following the 2016 election, the stock market has soared. Unemployment remains low. Major corporations are making high-profile moves to at least temporarily boost their workers' paycheques. And the president can start pointing to his party's tax bill as a tangible reason why the economy is humming along. |
| If the current trajectory continues, Mr Trump and his fellow Republicans will be positioned to make the case to voters in the months and years ahead that despite all the drama - the often self-inflicted fire and fury - their agenda is to help Americans where it counts the most, in their pockets. | If the current trajectory continues, Mr Trump and his fellow Republicans will be positioned to make the case to voters in the months and years ahead that despite all the drama - the often self-inflicted fire and fury - their agenda is to help Americans where it counts the most, in their pockets. |
| That's the kind of message that can win. | That's the kind of message that can win. |
| What will happen to Steve Bannon? | What will happen to Steve Bannon? |
| Mr Trump said Mr Bannon - who was sacked in August - had "lost his mind" after losing his White House position. | Mr Trump said Mr Bannon - who was sacked in August - had "lost his mind" after losing his White House position. |
| Reports suggest that more conservative factions in the Republican party have backed Mr Trump amid the fallout from the book. | Reports suggest that more conservative factions in the Republican party have backed Mr Trump amid the fallout from the book. |
| "I don't know anyone in the conservative movement that's supporting Steve over Donald Trump right now in this," Trump ally and Newsmax website editor Christopher Ruddy told Reuters news agency. | "I don't know anyone in the conservative movement that's supporting Steve over Donald Trump right now in this," Trump ally and Newsmax website editor Christopher Ruddy told Reuters news agency. |
| Billionaire conservative donor Rebekah Mercer, who had backed Mr Bannon financially and invested in the right-wing Breitbart news website that he heads, also cut ties with the former strategist, saying: "I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected". | Billionaire conservative donor Rebekah Mercer, who had backed Mr Bannon financially and invested in the right-wing Breitbart news website that he heads, also cut ties with the former strategist, saying: "I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected". |
| Mr Trump tweeted in response: "The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!" | Mr Trump tweeted in response: "The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!" |