Rage

by Bob Woodward

  “The disruption to everyday life”: “Transcript for the CDC Telebriefing Update on COVID-19,” CDC.gov, February 25, 2020.

  “Viral Crisis in U.S. Is Deemed Likely”: Pam Belluck and Noah Weiland, “It ‘Could Be Bad’: Viral Crisis in U.S. Is Deemed Likely,” The New York Times, February 26, 2020, p. A1.

  “Threat to Americans called ‘inevitable’ ”: Erica Werner, Yasmeen Abutaleb, and Lena H. Sun, “Coronavirus Will Spread in U.S., CDC Says,” The Washington Post, February 26, 2020, p. A1.

  “When you have 15 people”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference,” February 26, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  In testimony before the House: “HHS Secretary Azar Testifies on President’s 2021 Budget Request,” C-SPAN, February 27, 2020.

  Later that day at a rally in South Carolina: Rem Rieder, “Trump and the ‘New Hoax,’ ” FactCheck.org, March 3, 2020.

  “So, Dr. Fauci, it’s Saturday”: Today show video, “Dr. Fauci on Coronavirus Fears: No Need to Change Lifestyle Yet,” NBC, February 29, 2020.

  At the Coronavirus Task Force briefing: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference,” February 29, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  “He’s crazy… and it’s kind of working”: Peggy Noonan, “Over Trump, We’re as Divided as Ever,” The Wall Street Journal, March 8, 2018. Several months after that column, Trump posted a tweet denouncing Noonan as “the simplistic writer for Trump Haters.”

  He paraphrased the cat: The Cheshire Cat said: “It doesn’t matter which way you go… if you only walk long enough.”

  In the book, Whipple: Chris Whipple, The Gatekeepers (New York: Broadway Books, 2018). The Gatekeepers shows the immense power and responsibility entrusted to those who have held the unelected, unconfirmed position and argues “[t]he framers of the Constitution never envisioned anything like it.”

  Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic: Scott Adams, Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2018).

  Kushner said that Scott Adams’s approach: “Remarks by President Trump in State of the Union Address,” U.S. Capitol, February 4, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  A hair-splitting, fact-checking debate: In some ways, Trump was applying to the presidency the same approaches he used in his career as a New York real estate developer. In his 1987 bestseller The Art of the Deal, Trump wrote: “People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It’s an innocent form of exaggeration—and a very effective form of promotion.”

  Earlier in February: Interview with President Donald J. Trump, February 7, 2020.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  A DHS report said the wall: Julia Edwards Ainsley, “Exclusive–Trump Border ‘Wall’ to Cost $21.6 Billion, Take 3.5 Years to Build: Internal Report,” Reuters, February 9, 2017.

  But Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said: See Eugene Kiely, Brooks Jackson, Lori Robertson, et al., “FactChecking the State of the Union,” FactCheck.org, February 5, 2020; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, “CBP/USACE Border Wall Status as of January 24, 2020,” linked to in the article.

  “Cumming District is a disgusting”: @RealDonaldTrump, “… As proven last week during a Congressional tour, the Border is clean, efficient & well run, just very crowded. Cumming District is a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess. If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous & filthy place,” 7:14 a.m., and “Why is so much money sent to the Elijah Cummings district when it is considered the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States. No human being would want to live there. Where is all this money going? How much is stolen? Investigate this corrupt mess immediately!,” 7:24 a.m., July 27, 2019, Twitter.com.

  “This seems, Mick,” Wallace said: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, July 28, 2019.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  The main headline in The New York Times: Matt Phillips, “Coronavirus Fears Drive Stocks Down for 6th Day and into Correction,” The New York Times, February 27, 2019, updated February 28, 2019.

  The day before, Trump had said during remarks: “Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with African American Leaders,” February 27, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  “We’re dealing with an evolving situation”: Video, “Dr. Fauci: Coronavirus Now at ‘Outbreak’ and ‘Likely Pandemic Proportions,’ ” MSNBC, March 2, 2020.

  Speaking at the CDC, Trump promised: “Remarks by President Trump After Tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Atlanta, Georgia, March 6, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “We’re not blind where this virus is”: Ibid.

  After this became public, Bolsonaro: Lisandra Paraguassu, “Brazil’s Bolsonaro Says Coronavirus Is Not All the Media Makes It Out to Be,” Reuters, March 10, 2020.

  On March 9, with the stock market reeling”: @RealDonaldTrump, “So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!,” 10:47 a.m., March 9, 2020, Twitter.com.

  The New York Times headline the morning: Matt Phillips, Peter Eavis, and David Enrich, “Markets Spiral As Globe Shudders Over Virus,” The New York Times, March 10, 2020, p. A1.

  The Times wrote it was: Live update, “Wall Street Bounces Back from Monday’s Plunge,” The New York Times, March 10, 2020.

  In remarks to reporters following: “Remarks by President Trump After Meeting with Republican Senators,” U.S. Capitol, March 10, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  In January before the restrictions: Anne Schuchat, “Public Health Response to the Initiation and Spread of Pandemic COVID-19 in the United States, February 24–April 21, 2020,” CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 8, 2020.

  Nearly 140,000 had come from Italy: Ibid.

  “Everyone is pro-tree,” Benioff said: Lisa Friedman, “A Trillion Trees: How One Idea Triumphed Over Trump’s Climate Denialism,” The New York Times, February 12, 2020.

  That afternoon, the World Health Organization: “WHO Director-General’s Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on COVID-19,” March 11, 2020, WHO.int.

  “This is the most aggressive”: “Remarks by President Trump in Address to the Nation,” Oval Office, March 11, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  Peggy Noonan wrote the next day: Peggy Noonan, “ ‘Don’t Panic’ Is Rotten Advice,” The Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2020.

  Testifying before Congress, Fauci said: Glenn Kessler, “What Did Dr. Anthony Fauci Say About Coronavirus Testing ‘Failing’?,” The Washington Post, March 18, 2020.

  The Dow Jones fell 10 percent: Emily Cochrane, Jeanna Smialek, and Jim Tankersley, “Worst Rout for Wall Street Since 1987 Crash,” The New York Times, March 13, p. A1.

  A giant chart on the front page: See Caitlin McCabe and Caitlin Ostroff, “Stocks Plunge 10% in Dow’s Worst Day Since 1987,” The Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2020.

  On March 13, Trump declared: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference,” March 13, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  Shortly after, Google tweeted: @Google_Comms, “Statement from Verily: ‘We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time,” 5:16 p.m., March 13, 2020, Twitter.com.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Asked about his frequent assertion: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” March 16, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  In a tweet on March 16, Trump wrote: @RealDonaldTrump, “The
United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!,” 6:51 p.m., March 16, 2020, Twitter.com.

  “This thing is a nasty—it’s a nasty situation”: Interview with President Donald J. Trump, March 19, 2020.

  Just two days before, at the task force briefing: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” March 17, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “If things don’t go as planned”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” March 19, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  Studies later indicated the drug: “FDA Cautions Against Use of Hydroxychloroquine or Chloroquine for COVID-10 Outside of the Hospital Setting or a Clinical Trial Due to Risk of Heart Rhythm Problems,” June 15, 2020, FDA.gov.

  I brought up Trump’s comments at a press briefing: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference,” March 13, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  Obama’s National Security Council had left behind: Executive Office of the President of the United States, “Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents,” undated, available on DocumentCloud.org.

  Shortly before midnight on March 22: @RealDonaldTrump, “WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!,” 11:50 p.m., March 22, 2020, Twitter.com.

  “I talk about the Chinese virus”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference,” March 26, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  During the next day’s briefing, Trump alluded: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Conference,” March 28, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “I’m running a big, big operation”: Interview with President Donald J. Trump, March 28, 2020.

  “I mean, you could make a big soundbite”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” March 29, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  Trump announced the 30-day: “Remarks by President Trump and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” March 30, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  This chapter is primarily based on an interview with President Donald J. Trump on April 5, 2020.

  On April 3, when the CDC issued: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 3, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  I asked Trump if he had seen: Henry A. Kissinger, “The Coronavirus Pandemic Will Forever Alter the World Order,” The Wall Street Journal, April 3, 2020.

  The Department of Homeland Security had released: “Advisory Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response,” March 28, 2020, CISA.gov.

  In March 2020 U.S. airlines carried: “March 2020 U.S. Airline Traffic Data (Final),” June 11, 2020, BTS.gov.

  In a press briefing on April 1: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 1, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  In a recent Washington Post op-ed, he’d written: Bill Gates, “Bill Gates: Here’s How to Make Up for Lost Time on Covid-19,” The Washington Post, March 31, 2020.

  In December 2016, Gates came to Trump Tower: See Betsy McKay, “Bill Gates Has Regrets,” The Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2020.

  In 2017, Trump told Gates: Josh Keefe, “Is Donald Trump an Anti-Vaxxer? Bill Gates Said President Asked Him if Vaccines ‘Weren’t a Bad Thing,’ ” Newsweek, May 18, 2018.

  In a tweet on April 15, Gates blasted: @BillGates, “Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever,” 11:17 a.m., April 15, 2020, Twitter.com.

  A Gallup poll in March showed: Jeffrey M. Jones, “Trump Job Approval at Personal Best 49%,” Gallup, Inc., February 4, 2020.

  While Trump’s job approval rating had reached: “President Trump Job Approval,” RealClearPolitics, January 20, 2020.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  “LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!”: @RealDonaldTrump, “LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!,” 7:55 a.m., April 6, 2020, Twitter.com.

  Counties that are majority-Black: Reis Thebault, Andrew Ba Tran, and Vanessa Williams, “The Coronavirus Is Infecting and Killing Black Americans at an Alarmingly High Rate,” The Washington Post, April 7, 2020.

  In the four-week period ending April 9: Heather Long and Andrew Van Dam, “America Is in a Depression. The Challenge Now Is to Make It Short-Lived,” The Washington Post, April 9, 2020.

  “The minimum number was 100,000 lives”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 10, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “If you had a process that was ongoing”: State of the Union transcript, CNN, April 12, 2020.

  Several hours later, on Sunday evening: Katie Shepherd, John Wagner, and Felicia Sonmez, “White House Denies Trump Is Considering Firing Fauci Despite His Retweet of a Hashtag Calling for His Ouster,” The Washington Post, April 13, 2020.

  Answering questions from reporters: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 13, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  The federal government would “be there to help”: “Remarks by President Trump in Press Briefing,” April 14, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  I reached Trump at the White House: Interview with President Donald J. Trump, April 13, 2020.

  That day, The Washington Post reported “shortages”: Philip Bump, “The Reality of Coronavirus Testing Continues to Differ from Trump’s Claims,” The Washington Post, April 13, 2020.

  “The president has overdelivered”: Video, Lindsey Graham appearance on Hannity, Fox News, April 14, 2020.

  “Our nation is engaged in a historic battle”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 16, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “U.S. Unemployment Claims Rise to 22 Million”: Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey, and Yasmeen Abutaleb, “U.S. Unemployment Claims Rise to 22 Million,” The Washington Post, April 17, 2020, p. A1.

  “Broad Shutdown Pushes Americans to Economic Edge”: Patricia Cohen, “Broad Shutdown Pushes Americans to Economic Edge,” The New York Times, April 17, 2020, p. A1.

  Georgia Governor Brian Kemp had on April 20: Jeff Amy, “Kemp Says Some Shuttered Businesses Can Reopen Friday,” Associated Press, April 20, 2020.

  “I told the governor of Georgia”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 22, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “You see states are starting to open up now”: “Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 23, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “It’s gonna go,” Trump said at a meeting: “Remarks by President Trump and Vice President Pence in Roundtable with Industry Executives on the Plan for Opening Up America Again,” April 29, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “If the United States is not well prepared”: “North Korea’s Top Nuclear Negotiator Warns of ‘Terrible Events’ if Talks with U.S. Resume Without Shift,” Reuters, October 7, 2019.

  North Korea had threatened the U.S.: Joshua Berlinger, “North Korea Warns US to Prepare for ‘Christmas Gift,” but No One’s Sure What to Expect,” CNN, December 5, 2019.

  “I received a nice note from him”: “Remarks by President Trump a
nd Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing,” April 18, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  “Well, I understand what’s going on”: “Remarks by President Trump on Protecting America’s Seniors,” April 30, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  State media reported that Kim had presided: Choe Sang Hun, “Kim Jong Un Moves to Increase North Korea’s Nuclear Strength,” The New York Times, May 24, 2020.

  Later, North Korea demolished: The building was demolished on June 16, 2020.

  CHAPTER FORTY

  This chapter is primarily based on an interview with President Donald J. Trump on May 6, 2020.

  He noted that Katie Miller: “Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with Republican Members of Congress,” May 8, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  The Labor Department released a report: Employment Situation News Release, “The Employment Situation—April 2020,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 8, 2020, BLS.gov.

  Trump’s job approval had only: “President Trump Job Approval,” RealClear Politics, January 20, 2020.

  In public comments in the Rose Garden, Slaoui: “Remarks by President Trump on Vaccine Development,” May 15, 2020, WhiteHouse.gov.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  This chapter is primarily based on an interview with President Donald J. Trump on May 22, 2020.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  This chapter is primarily based on an interview with President Donald J. Trump on June 3, 2020.

  “You have to dominate,” Trump said: Transcript, “READ: President Trump’s Call with U.S. Governors over Protests,” CNN, June 1, 2020.

  At around 6:30 p.m., without apparent provocation: Carol D. Leonnig et al., “Barr Personally Ordered Removal of Protesters Near White House, Leading to Use of Force Against Largely Peaceful Crowd,” The Washington Post, June 2, 2020; Alex Horton et al., “A Low-Flying ‘Show of Force,’ ” The Washington Post, June 23, 2010; and Carol D. Leonnig, “Park Police Spokesman Acknowledges Chemical Agents Used on Lafayette Square Protesters Are Similar to Tear Gas,” The Washington Post, June 5, 2020.