Staffers go behind Trump's back to stop major distraction: biographer

President Donald Trump talks on the phone aboard Air Force One during a flight to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 26, 2017. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

Donald Trump is easily prone to a specific distraction that has been known about for years, and according to insider reporter Michael Wolff, White House staff have taken to going behind his back to prevent.

Wolff is veteran reporter and author, best known recently for his book, Fire and Fury, which exposed the tumult and disorder rampant in the first Trump administration. On the latest episode of his Daily Beast podcast, "Inside Trump's Head," he detailed Trump's obsession with phone calls.

“Anyone who has that number, he’ll talk to,” Wolff explained. “It is kind of instant access. You have that number, you call him up, and he will talk to you.”

Wolff added that Trump is known to start taking phone calls before he has even gotten out of bed in the morning. He also noted that the calls play out less like an actual "conversation," with the president talking at the other person most of the time.

"[Trump] wants to tell you what he thinks, and then for you to confirm that,” he added.

This habit of Trump's has become a major source of distraction, Wolff claimed, prompting close aides to manage his phone use "tightly." According to the author's White House sources, staffers have at times gone behind Trump's back to remove certain contacts from his phone. Since he is heavily reliant on contacts over remembering phone numbers, this tactic prevents him from getting caught up in long conversations.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is said to have been one of the major contacts removed from his phone in this manner, but it has also often been done for members of the press.

“Sometimes the staff will take his phone and take people out of the phone because they don’t want him calling this person — often a reporter," Wolff detailed.

Trump's general obsession with phones has been widely documented, most famously in the form of his rampant social media posting. He is also known for frequently calling into Fox News to address the hosts. His fixation also crosses political lines, with reports indicating that he often texts with the Democratic Socialist Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.

“He’s using it for a human connection,” Wolff said. “I mean, I don’t think he knows how to make a human connection. So without the actual connection, he has the phone.”

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