Veteran journalist Bob Woodward on Monday said that President Trump’s former attorney, John Dowd, concluded that Trump “is an effing liar” following a practice interview earlier this year meant to prepare the president for a sit-down interview with the special counsel.
Woodward said on NBC’s “Today” that Trump went “ballistic” and was “not under control” when Dowd arranged the practice interview in the White House in January.
“And Dowd says, ‘You know, you can’t do this. You are not a good witness.’ And his conclusion, Dowd’s conclusion in the end is that the president is an effing liar,” Woodward said.
{mosads}Woodward describes the scene from the mock interview in his new book, “Fear: Trump in the White House,” which will be released Tuesday.
The Washington Post obtained a copy of the book and reported last week that Dowd held the mock interview on Jan. 27, with Dowd playing the role of Robert Mueller in the interview.
As Dowd went through a number of questions related to the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Trump reportedly lost his temper and stumbled over answers.
“This thing’s a goddamn hoax,” Trump reportedly said.
“I don’t really want to testify,” he later added, according to the book.
Dowd resigned in March.
Trump said Friday that sitting down with Mueller’s team for an interview would be a “waste of time” but added that he’s open to it.
–This report was updated at 8:47 a.m.