Russian President Vladimir Putin brought an 'attractive' translator with him to distract former President Donald Trump at their 2019 meeting - and Trump told Putin he would act tough in front of the cameras and then play nice privately, former White House official Stephanie Grisham reveals in her forthcoming tell-all.
'OK, I'm going to act a little tougher with you for a few minutes. But it's for the cameras, and after they leave, we'll talk. You understand,' Trump had told Putin when they met in June 2019 in Japan at the G20, Grisham recounted.
Copies of Grisham's book - I'll Take Your Questions Now, What I Saw at Trump White House - were obtained by The Washington Post and The New York Times. It hits bookshelves on October 5.
President Donald Trump (right) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan in June 2019. Stephanie Grisham's forthcoming book sheds more light on this meeting
Stehanie Grisham wrote that she was told by Russia expert Fiona Hill that Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) had brought along an 'attractive' translator (left) to distract President Donald Trump (right) during their 2019 meeting
Stephanie Grisham, Melania Trump's spokeswoman and chief of staff, as well as White House press secretary, said Trump told Vladimir Putin: 'OK, I'm going to act a little tougher with you for a few minutes. But it's for the cameras, and after they leave, we'll talk. You understand'
I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I saw at the Trump White House by Stephanie Grisham comes out on October 5
Grisham was a 2016 campaign aide who became First Lady Melania Trump's spokeswoman, before being elevated to White House press secretary and communications director from July 2019 to April 2020.
She then returned to the East Wing to serve as the first lady's spokesperson, again, and chief of staff.
The new book fills in some blanks about some of the most memorable moments from Trump's one term.
The Putin meeting in question came 11 months after the infamous Helsinki summit where Trump seemed to side with the Russian president over American intelligence agencies on whether Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
At the July 2018 meeting, Trump said Putin offered an 'extremely strong and powerful' denial.
At their 2019 meeting in Japan, Trump playfully scolded and wagged a finger at Putin in front of the cameras telling the Russian leader, 'don't meddle in the election,' before they met behind closed doors for 90 minutes without journalists present.
According to The Times, Grisham conversed with Fiona Hill - the administration's Russia expert turned impeachment 1.0 witness - who explained what Putin was doing to throw Trump off.
'As the meeting began, Fiona Hill leaned over and asked me if I had noticed Putin's translator, who was a very attractive brunette woman with long hair, a pretty face, and a wonderful figure,' Grisham wrote. 'She proceeded to tell me that she suspected the woman had been selected by Putin specifically to distract our president.'
A brunette woman with a blue dress can be seen following Putin into the room as the Russian leader greets the American delegation in Osaka.
Trump, upon hearing the Stormy Daniels description of his penis, called his press secretary from Air Force one to assure her his penis was neither small nor shaped like a toadstool, Grisham, in her new salacious tell-all 'I'll Take Your Questions Now'
Trump would cut his hair with giant scissors and tunes from his favorite musicals would calm him down
Grisham's includes bizarre details about Trump's behavior.
For instance, she claims he cuts his hair with a 'huge pair of scissors that could probably cut a ribbon at an opening of one of his properties.'
She also writes that one of Trump's aides - later revealed to be Grisham's ex-boyfriend Max Miler, who is running for an Ohio Congressional seat and has been endorsed by Trump - would play him his favorite show tunes, including 'Memory' from Cats, to calm him down during tantrums.
Grisham described Trump's temper as 'terrifying.
Trump continued the womanizing behavior he was known for as a brash Manhattan real estate tycoon at the White House, Grisham revealed, writing that he repeatedly invited a young press aide to his Air Force One cabin - one time to look at her behind.
Trump instructed Grisham to 'keep her happy.'
Grisham tried to keep the staffer away from the president, she wrote.
The ex-press secretary also
