Trump assails ‘Fake Book’ as allies hail ‘political genius’

PresidentDonald Trump yesterday assailed as a ‘Fake Book’ an explosivebehind-the-scenes account that questions his fitness for office, asallies lined up to defend the president, with one dubbing him a“political genius.”The White House has been pushing back hardagainst the unflattering portrayal of the president in Fire and Fury, asupposed tell-all book published on Friday about the Trumpadministration by journalist Michael Wolff.Trump tweeted yesterdaythat the instant bestseller — which paints him as disengaged andunstable, with signs of serious memory loss — was a “Fake Book, writtenby a totally discredited author”. A day earlier, pushing back at Wolff’s suggestion that he lacked stability, Trump called himself a “very stable genius.”SeniorTrump policy adviser Stephen Miller treated the book derisively whileinsisting that his boss was in fact “a political genius,” in aninterview on CNN yesterday.The book’s author, Miller said, “is a garbage author of a garbage book...nothing but a pile of trash.”Heassailed his former White House colleague Steve Bannon, reportedly akey source for the book, as “vindictive” and “out of touch withreality.”Meantime, CIA director Mike Pompeo, appearing on Fox NewsSunday, insisted that Wolff’s portrayal of Trump was “just purefantasy.” Far from being detached and unable to deal with complexpolicy issues, Pompeo said, “The president is engaged, he understandsthe complexity, he asks really difficult questions of our team at theCIA.” He described Trump as an “avid consumer” of the agency’s intelligence.Pompeo added that Trump was “completely fit,” saying it was “ludicrous” to suggest otherwise.Butin a possible sign of White House sensitivities over the book, Millerlashed out in an unusually raw clash with his CNN interviewer, JakeTapper.When Tapper attempted to question Miller about his work withBannon, the interview deteriorated into a rapid-fire series of mutualinterruptions and recriminations.Miller called Tapper“condescending” and “snide,” and accused CNN of engaging in “negativeanti-Trump hysterical coverage” and “spectacularly embarrassing falsereporting.”The two men repeatedly spoke over each other beforeTapper declared, “I think I’ve wasted enough of my viewers’ time. Thankyou Stephen,” then turned away from Miller — who was still talking — totersely announce the next guest.Miller was not treated kindly in theWolff book. The author wrote that Miller “was supposed to be the houseintellectual but was militantly unread. He was supposed to be acommunications specialist, but he antagonized almost everyone.”Miller’scombative performance on CNN got a thumbs up from his boss. “JakeTapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with StephenMiller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness ofthis CNN flunky!” Trump tweeted after the segment aired.