Bob Woodward Describes the State of the GOP as an ‘Iron Curtain of Obedience to Trump’

Bob Woodward said on Monday night that the deference being shown to Donald Trump by Republicans goes well beyond anything the usual fealty shown

CNN’s Erin Burnett asked the author about Sen. Chuck Grassley embracing Trump at a rally in Iowa over the weekend. The 88-year-old is running for reelection next year, and accepted Trump’s highly coveted endorsement.

Burnett asked Woodward if he’s surprised that a longtime Republican institutionalist such as Grassley is now openly embracing Trump.

“First of all, we’ve got to figure out what’s really going on here,” said Woodward.” I remember, George Kennan, the father of the containment strategy with the Soviet Union, once referred to what he called the treacherous curtain of deference, where people go into the Oval Office and deal with the president and they’re deferential.

“What’s going on now really is an iron curtain of obedience to Trump. It’s not just polite deference. It is obedience, and it really is an iron curtain because it’s so strong. These people like Senator Grassley can count. They can look at the polls. They go to their home states. They talk to constituents. And there are tens of millions of people who support Trump.”

Woodward noted that Trump’s post-presidency status as the clear leader of his party is unusual.

“So this is a political strength that we have rarely seen, never seen from a former president. After Nixon resigned, he didn’t go out and campaign. He conducted a war against history to say Watergate was really just a blip.”

Woodward later added, “Let’s face it. Trump’s popularity, his power in the Republican party has grown since he left office. It has not shrunk.”

Watch above via CNN.