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Jimmy Williams
Russia has confirmed that former U.S. President Donald Trump sent COVID-19 test kits to the Kremlin in the early days of the pandemic, following new claims from veteran journalist Bob Woodward in his latest book War. The confirmation sheds light on Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and raises further questions about their interactions during a global health crisis.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that the Trump administration had “sent us several samples of test kits” during the initial stages of the pandemic. His statement broadly supported Woodward’s claim that Trump “secretly sent Putin a bunch of Abbott Point of Care COVID test machines for his personal use.”
Peskov, however, did not confirm whether the tests were specifically for Putin’s personal use, as reported in Woodward’s book. “At that time, the pandemic was starting, and the situation was very difficult for all countries,” Peskov explained. “Of course, initially, all countries tried to exchange aid shipments with each other.” He also noted that Russia had sent ventilators to the United States as part of a mutual aid exchange.
Woodward’s book describes a conversation in which Putin reportedly told Trump, “Please don’t tell anybody you sent these to me,” with Trump replying, “I don’t care.” Despite this, Putin allegedly insisted, “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me.”
Trump has denied Woodward’s claims, telling ABC News that they are “false.” He described Woodward as a “storyteller” who had “lost his marbles” and criticized the journalist’s account of the events. Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, also dismissed the claims, saying that Trump gave Woodward “absolutely no access” for the book and labeling the stories as untrue.
Peskov further disputed another claim in War, which suggested that Trump and Putin had as many as seven private phone calls since Trump left office in 2021. “That is not true; it did not happen,” Peskov said. Trump has similarly denied this, telling ABC News the calls never occurred.
The initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic were marked by a series of diplomatic exchanges between nations, including the U.S. and Russia. Trump’s administration was criticized at the time for purchasing medical supplies from Moscow, which was seen by some as a propaganda victory for the Kremlin. The U.S. also sent ventilators to various countries, including Russia, as part of a $200 million global initiative led by the Trump administration.
The revelations have sparked criticism from political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who responded to the news during an interview with Howard Stern. “People were dying by the hundreds. Everybody was scrambling to get these (test) kits … and this guy who was President of the United States is sending them to Russia? To a murderous dictator, for his personal use?” Harris remarked, accusing Trump of being “played” by Putin.
The new details about Trump’s relationship with Putin come just weeks before the U.S. presidential election, reigniting scrutiny over their interactions. Despite widespread condemnation of Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Trump has continued to speak positively about their rapport. “I got along well with him. I hope to get along well with him again,” Trump said during a recent interview with billionaire Elon Musk on X, adding that maintaining good relationships with strongman leaders “is a good thing.”
As Trump campaigns for re-election, his connections to Putin are likely to remain a controversial topic, especially given the fresh revelations about his actions during the pandemic.
