Kathrine Frich
He believed they held copies of the politician’s actual university transcripts.
Powerful leaders spend their days projecting strength to the public.
They work to build a fearless image.
But behind closed doors, even the most confident politicians often hide deep, personal fears.
A carefully guarded secret
Donald Trump regularly tells voters how smart he is. The president proudly calls himself a stable genius while claiming to ace cognitive exams.
But a political author claims a different reality exists behind the scenes. According to the Irish Star, writer Michael Wolff believes the president carries a massive complex about his intellect.
Wolff shared his thoughts on a Daily Beast podcast. He told journalist Joanna Coles that the politician is terrified of being perceived as unintelligent.
Looking for leverage
Wolff stated, “I think top of his list, top of the things that plagues him, is being seen as stupid, for one reason, because he is stupid.”
This alleged insecurity ties into a long-running political mystery. Critics frequently wonder if Russian leader Vladimir Putin holds damaging leverage against the American president.
Many assumed this secret material involved a scandalous tape from a 2017 intelligence dossier. The former president aggressively denied those claims, and no video ever surfaced.
Burying the past
Behind the scenes, the author claims he discussed this topic with former campaign adviser Steve Bannon. They explored what leverage the Kremlin might actually possess.
Wolff noted, “Steve Bannon and I were talking about what Putin might have on Trump. And Bannon went through all the things, dismissing them, you know, the pee tapes..”
According to the writer, Bannon suspected the Russians obtained something far more threatening to the presidential ego. He believed they held copies of the politician’s actual university transcripts.
Trump earned an economics degree from the Wharton School. Wolff claimed campaign staff worked fiercely to keep his academic records completely hidden in 2016.
Hiding a struggle
The author stated, “And basically said, you know, we will take every action against you if those transcripts are not buried. So, always that kind of thing to be revealed as a person, as a dummy.”
Wolff added that the politician’s early school years were a massive struggle. He suggested the president might even suffer from an undiagnosed condition.
He told the podcast, “And I think that he probably does have some learning disability, which I think is very, you know, uncomfortable for him. I mean, he is…that is one of the roots of his major insecurities.”
