Donald Trump Hired Barack Obama Stand-In Who He ‘Ritualistically Belittled,’ Michael Cohen Book Claims

U.S. President Donald Trump hired a Barack Obama stand-in who he “ritualistically belittled” and “fired,” according to explosive allegations in Disloyal: A Memoir — the new tell-all book by the president’s former attorney Michael Cohen — CNN reported.

As the publication noted, during Obama’s time in the White House, Trump publicly promoted the “birther” conspiracy that surrounded the former president and criticized many of his decisions. However, the memoir, which is due for release on Tuesday, September 8, alleged that the president’s disdain for his predecessor went much further than his public remarks.

In his memoir, Cohen claimed that Trump hired a “Faux-Bama” to participate in a video in which he “ritualistically belittled the first black president and then fired him,” according to the news source, which obtained a copy of the book ahead of its publication.

The book did not name the man who was allegedly hired to play Obama, the outlet noted, nor did it give a date during which the alleged incident took place. However, it did include a photograph of the president behind a desk while a black man wearing a suit that featured an American flag pin sat opposite. On the desk were two books, one of which was emblazoned with Obama’s name.

The Washington Post, which also obtained a copy of the book, reported that Cohen alleged that Trump said Obama only got into Colombia University and Harvard Law School due to “f*cking affirmative action,” and generally exhibited “hatred and contempt” for the former Democratic president.

According to CNN, Cohen said in the memoir that he is uniquely equipped to reveal the events that occurred behind the scenes during his time with Trump, as he spent years working as the president’s personal attorney and self-described “fixer.” In the book, he described the president as “a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator, a con man” and suggested that Trump was interested in harnessing the presidency for personal financial gain.

However, as the publication underscored, Cohen pleaded guilty to nine counts of federal crimes in 2018, which highlighted that he had personally lied and cheated during his time with the Trump administration. Among other charges, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion, lying to Congress, and campaign finance violations, which he and his legal team claimed were performed at Trump’s discretion in a bid to help him to victory in the 2016 presidential election.

The revelations come just days after Cohen warned that Trump would do anything to win reelection in November, as The Inquisitr reported. The president’s former lawyer told NBC News on Friday that he believed Trump would “even go so far as to start a war” or manipulate ballots if it meant he would stay in power.

“My biggest fear is that there will not be a peaceful transition of power in 2020,” Cohen said.