In his forthcoming book “War,” seasoned journalist Bob Woodward uncovers some striking remarks made by President Biden during a private conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Woodward, celebrated for his investigative work on the Watergate scandal, reveals that Biden did not hold back in describing Netanyahu, referring to him as a “son of a bitch” and a “bad guy.” This candid exchange took place amid the rising tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where Biden also voiced strong opinions about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to a CNN report from October 8, Woodward’s book, scheduled for release on October 15, chronicles Biden’s frank critiques of world leaders in private discussions. The author conducted hundreds of hours of interviews with various sources, offering vital insights for this project.
One excerpt reveals a conversation Biden had with friends concerning Netanyahu’s military actions in Gaza. During this discussion, he expressed his irritation with phrases like “son of a bitch” and “bad guy,” particularly in response to Netanyahu’s repeated promises to eliminate all Hamas members. Biden argued that such a goal was unattainable, even going so far as to threaten to withhold U.S. military aid to Israel, both privately and publicly.
Biden’s vivid language also extended to his discussions about Putin following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In conversations with his aides in the Oval Office, he labeled Putin “evil” and described their predicament as one involving “the epitome of evil.”
Woodward’s book suggests that Biden’s national security team assessed there was a 50% chance that Putin might resort to using nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
On a separate note, regarding his son Hunter Biden’s ongoing legal challenges, the President expressed regret about appointing Merrick Garland as Attorney General during chats with friends. He also critiqued former President Obama’s approach to Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, implying that Obama failed to take the threat seriously. Biden attributed Putin’s later aggressions toward Ukraine to the U.S.’s lack of a strong response to the Crimea situation in 2014, stating, “They screwed up in 2014” and lamenting that the U.S. “did nothing.”
Before the Russian invasion, U.S. intelligence had accumulated significant evidence indicating Putin’s intentions to mobilize a force of 175,000 as early as October 2021. Woodward notes in his book that both Biden and his aides recognized the gravity of Putin’s plans, though they found them difficult to fully believe.
