THE author of the explosive new Donald Trump biography Fire And Fury has taken his cue from the title and stormed out of an Australian breakfast TV interview.
Appearing in an interview with Ben Fordham on Today, Michael Wolff – crossing from London – was grilled on a range of topics relating to the US President, from gun control to North Korea.
From News.com.au
But it was when talk turned to Trump’s alleged infidelities that it all went south.
“You said during a TV interview last month that you are absolutely sure that Donald Trump is currently having an affair, while President, behind the back of the First Lady. I repeat, you said you were absolutely sure,” asked Fordham, who was filling in for Karl Stefanovic.
Despite no technical issues beforehand, Wolff immediately insisted he could no longer hear the TV host.
“Hold on, I can’t …” he muttered, as he fiddled with his earpiece.
“Last week, you backflipped and said, ‘I do not know if the President is having an affair.’ Do you owe the President and the First Lady an apology, Mr Wolff?” Fordham pressed.
“I can’t hear you. Hello?” Wolff responded.
“Just last month you said you were absolutely sure that the President was having an affair, and now you say he is not,” the Today host continued, before the American author again responded: “I’m not getting anything.”
“You are not hearing me, Mr Wolff?” Fordham asked, as Wolff dismantled his earpiece and got up to walk away. “Mr Wolff was hearing me before, but he’s not hearing me anymore … So the interview may be over.”
It certainly was — by then, Wolff had walked off set completely.
Later, the Today show revisited the drama, and played footage from the UK studio.
In the video, Fordham’s voice repeating his question could clearly be heard at Wolff’s end.
We’ve got an update for you on our interview with @MichaelWolffNYC. Footage from our London studio would suggest that there were no audio problems and Wolff had no problem hearing @BenFordham‘s question! #9Today pic.twitter.com/dj4AOJht47
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 25, 2018
Earlier during their conversation, Wolff discussed the relationship between Trump and Malcolm Turnbull, who met in Washington over the weekend.
“Your Prime Minister probably understands the ground rules better now, and the ground rules of dealing with Donald Trump is that you must leverage an immense amount of flattery on him,” he told Fordham.
“No amount is too great. And in return, he will lavish flattery on you.”
He also disputed the idea that Trump’s tough approach to dealing with North Korea would prove to be successful.
“He has tweeted. The President talks a good line. I mean, this is what the President is good at … [but] the President would not be good at waging war and would not be good at figuring out a diplomatic solution, but he is good at raising his voice, which is why I called my book Fire And Fury. Because he does that in virtually every situation.”
