Author Michael Wolff walked out of an interview with the Australian "Today Show" on Sunday after claiming he couldn't hear a question about his accusation that President Donald Trump was having an affair.
Wolff had been speaking with Ben Fordham for several minutes before being asked about the rumor Wolff spread that Trump was having an affair with Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. Suddenly, Wolff couldn't make out what Fordham was saying.
"You said during a TV interview just last month that you are absolutely sure that Donald Trump is currently having an affair while president behind the back of the First Lady and I'll repeat, you said you were ‘absolutely sure,’" Fordham said. "Just last week, however, you backflipped and said, ‘I do not know if the President is having an affair.’ Do you owe the President and the First Lady an apology, Mr. Wolff?"
"I can't hear you," Wolff said.
Fordham repeated his question to which Wolff still said he couldn't hear anything in his earpiece.
"You not hearing me, Mr. Wolff?" Fordham said.
"No , I'm not getting anything," Wolff said.
"We were hearing each other well just before," Fordham said.
Shortly after, a technician came over to inspect Wolff's earpiece, but Wolff got up and walked off the set.
The show's official Twitter account suggested later that Wolff was faking not being able to hear the question.
We've got an update for you on our interview with @MichaelWolffNYC. Footage from our London studio would suggest that there were no audio problems and Wolff had no problem hearing @BenFordham's question! #9Today pic.twitter.com/dj4AOJht47
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 25, 2018
LISTEN - This is what Michael Wolff was HEARING in his earpiece when he claimed he couldn’t hear my question on @TheTodayShow this morning. pic.twitter.com/dl3ZvQfKWm
— BenFordham (@BenFordham) February 26, 2018
Wolff, the author of the explosive book Fire and Fury: Inside Trump's White House, has been criticized for multiple inaccuracies in the book, although many mainstream media figures praised it for ringing close to the truth. However, his passive claim about an affair between Trump and Haley have drawn criticism from people on all sides.
Wolff first suggested Trump was sleeping with Haley during a January appearance on the HBO program "Real Time," saying one just had to read between the lines of his best-selling book. Haley called the rumor "highly offensive" and "disgusting."