NPR

Bob Woodward: 'Great Washington Denial Machine' Driven By Politics, Not Truth

The veteran journalist stands behind the reporting in his new book, Fear, and says that administration officials who have denied quotes attributed to them are acting out of "political necessity."
Bob Woodward speaks at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., in 2012, during an event marking the 40th anniversary of Watergate. Woodward's new book describes chaos within the Trump administration.

Updated at 11:35 a.m. ET

Bob Woodward, the author of an explosive new portrayal of President Trump's White House, tells NPR that administration officials are denying his account out of "political necessity."

In his book Fear, which comes out Tuesday, Woodward describes Trump behaving erratically and impulsively, even on significant issues of national security, and insulting some of his senior officials.

President Trump has repeatedly denounced Woodward's book, calling the veteran journalist an "idiot" and his

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