Bob Woodward sits down with David Axelrod on the latest episode of The Axe Files

Woodward Tells Axelrod that there is “high anxiety” at the Pentagon about President Trump and, “if you look at it what Trump has done, you can draw a straight line from Nixon to Trump. Trump has legitimized hate, and he has said it is acceptable in American politics.”

New York NY, USA—The latest episode of The Axe Files with David Axelrod - the political podcast only available on Luminary - features an in-depth interview with legendary journalist Bob Woodward. The hour-long episode of The Axe Files with David Axelrod is live and available on Luminary today. It was recorded live at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics on May 29th.

In the interview, Woodward draws parallels between Nixon and Trump, and states, “If you look at it what Trump has done, you can draw a straight line from Nixon to Trump. Trump has legitimized hate and he has said it is acceptable in American politics.”

He also tells Axelrod, “We are at a pivot point in history about how we are going to deal with the legitimization of hate in American politics.”

On the state of the mood at the Pentagon, Woodward adds, “There is a meeting I reported on which… it was not in the book because it’s more recent…where the generals and admirals are meeting, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs says, ‘You know, the only institution in America that’s working is the military.’ And I think there’s some truth to that, but the president is Commander in Chief. And, as we know, presidents can essentially start wars all on their own. So it’s a really important question: ‘What is the temperature everywhere? It’s high anxiety.’”

Woodward shares insights with Axelrod from his four-decade career in journalism spanning nine presidencies – including what it was like to break the Watergate scandal alongside Carl Bernstein, parallels between Presidents Nixon and Trump, and how the media landscape has evolved. His latest book, Fear: Trump in the White House, chronicles in detail life inside Donald Trump’s White House.

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About The Axe Files with David Axelrod

From David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, comes The Axe Files, a series of revealing interviews with key players in the political world. Go beyond the soundbites and get to know the inspiring personal stories that helped shape these public figures that you thought you knew. From Rachel Maddow to John McCain, from Jon Stewart to Justin Trudeau, these conversations will change how you think about politics and public service. No talking points or partisan bickering. The Axe Files, from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, is a different type of political discourse. It’s not a debate – it’s a conversation.