Trump denounces Wolff's book as 'full of lies'
Washington: US President Donald Trump today dismissed as "full of lies" a new explosive book about his administration that has taken the White House by storm after his lawyers failed to block its release.
Trump tweeted that he gave author Michael Wolff "zero access" to the White House for his book, "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House", which is set to be released today.
"I authorised Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don't exist," Trump tweeted.
"Look at this guy s past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!" Trump wrote, apparently referring to his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, who is quoted extensively in the book.
The book which is sending shock waves to the Trump administration is releasing today, two days ahead of the schedule after Trump s lawyers made a move to stop its release.
American journalist and author Wolff tweeted: Here we go. You can buy it (and read it) tomorrow. Thank you, Mr President.
The book, which is highly critical of Trump and his family, claims that president was "befuddled" by his election win, did not enjoy his inauguration and was scared of the White House.
Wolff says his work is based on more than 200 interviews and that he took up "something like a semi-permanent seat on a couch in the West Wing" following the president's inauguration for a close-up insight into the fledgling administration.
Trump s attorney has sent a cease and desists letter to former White House Chief Strategist Bannon for making liable comments against the president and the first family.
The White House has attacked the book, with press secretary Sarah Sanders calling it "complete fantasy" and full of tabloid gossip.
Sanders during her daily news conference said that the president absolutely believes in the First Amendment.
"But the President also believes in making sure that information is accurate before pushing it out as fact when it certainly and clearly is not, she said.
"There are numerous mistakes, but I'm not going to waste my time or the country's time going page by page, talking about a book that's complete fantasy and just full of tabloid gossip, because it's sad, pathetic, and our administration and our focus is going to be on moving the country forward, Sanders said.
Sanders said there are numerous examples of falsehoods in the book.
"The fact that there was a claim that the president did not know who John Boehner was is pretty ridiculous considering the majority of you have seen photos and, frankly, some of you have even tweeted out that the president not only knows him but has played golf with him, tweeted about him, she told reporters.
"I mean, that's pretty simple and pretty basic, she asserted.
The White House, however, refused to respond to questions related to Trump s attorney.
She took strong objection to the question that Trump, according to the book, did not want to win.
"The president, the First Lady, his family -- they wouldn't have put themselves through that process if, one, they didn't believe they could win, and two, they didn't want to win. This was something they were very committed to and have been committed to since taking office, and will continue to do so over the next seven years, she said.
"It is absolutely laughable to think that somebody like this president would run for office with the purpose of losing. If you guys know anything, you know that Donald Trump is a winner, and he's not going to do something for the purpose of not coming out on top and not coming out as a winner. That's one of the most ridiculous things the claims in the book, she said.
The book, she noted, says that Bannon had been side lined by April, which goes further to indicate that he had very little credibility to give much information, particularly after that point, which most of the book is based after that timeframe.
"This book is mistake, after mistake, after mistake, she said.
"It's completely tabloid, gossip full of false and fraudulent claims, Sanders said.
The White House press secretary said the author of the book, contrary to the claims, had no access to the White House or the president.
"In fact, there are probably more than 30 requests for access to information from Wolff that were repeatedly denied, including, within that, at least two dozen requests of him asking to have an interview with the president, which he never did. He never discussed this book with the President, Sanders said.
"That would be the most important voice that you could have if you were looking to write a book about an individual, would be to have some time with him. He never did. He was repeatedly denied that. I think because we saw him for what he was, and there was no reason for us to waste the president of the United States' time," she said.
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5 schoolchildren among 7 killed in blast in southwest Pakistan
Islamabad (PTI): At least seven people, including five schoolchildren and a policeman, were killed on Friday in a remote-controlled blast in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, according to media reports.
The blast occurred at 8.35 am near a school at the Civil Hospital Chowk of the Mastung district of the province, Dawn newspaper reported.
“It appears that an IED (improvised explosive device) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai was quoted as saying in the report.
“So far, seven individuals have been killed, including five school students,” Bazai said. At least 22 people were injured in the attack.
Most of those injured were schoolchildren, Geo News reported, adding that they were shifted to a nearby hospital.
A police van and several auto-rickshaws were damaged in the explosion, according to the report.
An emergency was declared across all Quetta hospitals after the blast, the report said quoting the provincial health department spokesperson, adding that all doctors, pharmacists, staff nurses and other medical staff were summoned.
