by Bob Woodward
A book on the sitting president owes much to the journalism, writing and books that have gone before. There is so much on Trump already in the vortex of the 24/7 daily news. It is no longer a cycle but a steady stream. This book is based on my own reporting but it is inevitable that ideas or information were supplied directly or indirectly from other publications and news accounts. I owe an immense debt to all who have written on Trump and this political era, especially from The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Axios and Politico.
Robert B. Barnett, my lawyer, counselor and friend, once again did his marvelous work. Wedded to the concept of total devotion to his clients, he delivered the full support package. Bob knows Washington politics and New York publishing like no one else, and uses that knowledge with ingenuity and devotion to his clients.
Evelyn and I are fortunate for the presence, care and kindness of Rosa Criollo and Jackie Crowe.
Deep appreciation and love to Tali Woodward, my oldest daughter, who is the director of the Master of Arts program at Columbia Journalism School. She regularly provided wise counsel. And my love to her husband, Gabe Roth, and their two children, Zadie and Theo—my grandchildren.
Diana Woodward, our youngest daughter, is entering her senior year at Yale where she majors in humanities and psychology. When she returns during college breaks she brings that spark and joy we miss so much around the house.
This book is dedicated to Elsa Walsh, my wife, known widely as the Kindness Lady because she lives by Henry James’s words on the importance and centrality of kindness. For Elsa this is not just unselfish appreciation for each person but reverence for each. This is the 15th book in the 37 years we have been together. A former reporter for The Washington Post and staff writer for The New Yorker, Elsa loves people, ideas and books. She applied her natural, well-practiced and demanding editing skills to this book. I am forever grateful. I cannot thank her enough for her love and support. Over the years, I have developed a permanent respect for her judgment. I often ask, How does she know? Where does this intellect come from? I have never found the complete answer to those questions. But I get to see her magic in daily life. I cherish her—partner and the love of my life.
More from the Author
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Wired
The Brethren
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About the Author
© LISA BERG
BOB WOODWARD is an associate editor at The Washington Post, where he has worked for 47 years. He has shared in two Pulitzer Prizes, first for the Post’s coverage of the Watergate scandal with Carl Bernstein, and second in 2003 as the lead reporter for coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He has authored or coauthored 18 books, all of which have been national nonfiction bestsellers. Twelve of those have been #1 national bestsellers.
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Also by
BOB WOODWARD
The Last of the President’s Men
The Price of Politics
Obama’s Wars
The War Within: A Secret White House History, 2006–2008
State of Denial
The Secret Man (with a Reporter’s Assessment by Carl Bernstein)
Plan of Attack
Bush at War
Maestro: Greenspan’s Fed and the American Boom
Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate
The Choice
The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House
The Commanders
Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981–1987
Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi
The Brethren (with Scott Armstrong)
The Final Days (with Carl Bernstein)
All the President’s Men (with Carl Bernstein)
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Source Notes
PROLOGUE
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
But now there was the letter: Author obtained document.
“More than anything else, it’s”: On-the-record interview with Donald J. Trump, March 31, 2016.
CHAPTER 1
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources. See also Let Trump Be Trump by Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie (New York: Hachette, 2017).
Trump had once given Bannon: “Bannon’s ‘Victory Sessions’ Goes National,” Breitbart, February 23, 2012.
CHAPTER 2
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
“The Failing Inside Mission”: Alexander Burns and Maggie Haberman, “The Failing Inside Mission to Tame Trump’s Tongue,” The New York Times, August 14, 2016, p. A1. (Available online at https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/us/politics/donald-trump-campaign-gop.html.)
The Times article about the failure: Ibid.
Trump had appeared on a series: David A. Fahrenthold and Frances Stead Sellers, “How Bannon Flattered and Coaxed Trump on Policies Key to the Alt-Right,” The Washington Post, November 15, 2016.
In an August 8 speech: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks to the Detroit Economic Club,” August 8, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=119744.
It had been great when Trump released: Louis Nelson, “Trump Outlines 10-Point Plan to Reform Veterans Affairs Department,” Politico, July 11, 2016.
CHAPTER 3
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
But the New York Daily News had: Jennifer Fermino, “Senior Donald Trump Adviser Appears to Be Fan of NYC Bondage, Swinger’s Club,” New York Daily News, April 12, 2016.
“I need you to look at something”: Andrew E. Kramer, Mike McIntire and Barry Meier, “Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump’s Campaign Chief,” The New York Times, August 14, 2016.
The Times article on Manafort: Ibid.
For all the abuse: Bob Cusack, “Trump Slams RNC Chairman, Calls 2016 Process ‘A Disgrace,’ ” The Hill, April 12, 2016.
The New York Times reported: Jonathan Martin, Jim Rutenberg and Maggie Haberman, “Donald Trump Appoints Media Firebrand to Run Campaign,” The New York Times, August 17, 2016.
On August 22, Time magazine: View the cover online at http://time.com/magazine/us/4447970/august-22nd-2016-vol-188-no-7-u-s/.
CHAPTER 4
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
The in-depth and wide-ranging 2017 Yahoo News/Huffington Post oral history project “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew up the Rules of American Politics” was a helpful resource throughout this chapter. It was reported by Michael Isikoff, Dylan Stableford, Hunter Walker, Holly Bailey, Liz Goodwin, Lisa Belkin, Garance Franke-Ruta and Gabby Kaufman, and written by Dylan Stableford. Read it here: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yahoo-64-hours-october-american-politics_us_59d7c567e4b072637c43dd1c.
The first showed up: Pam Fessler, “10 Months After Election Day, Feds Tell States More About Russian Hacking,” NPR, September 22, 2017.
In July of 2016, Wiki
Leaks: Eric Lipton, David E. Sanger and Scott Shane, “The Perfect Weapon: How Russian Cyberpower Invaded the U.S.,” The New York Times, December 13, 2016; Ellen Nakashima, “Cybersecurity Firm Finds Evidence That Russian Military Unit Was Behind DNC Hack,” The Washington Post, December 22, 2016.
The next day, August 5: Michael J. Morell, “I Ran the C.I.A. Now I’m Endorsing Hillary Clinton,” The New York Times, August 5, 2016.
At 3 p.m. on Friday: Joint Statement from the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Election Security, Department of Homeland Security [archived], October 7, 2016.
But one hour later: David A. Fahrenthold, “Trump Recorded Having Extremely Lewd Conversation About Women in 2005,” The Washington Post, October 8, 2016.
“I expected it to be something”: Yahoo News Staff, “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics,” Yahoo News/Huffington Post, October 6, 2017.
Trump issued a brief statement: David A. Fahrenthold, “Trump Recorded Having Extremely Lewd Conversation About Women in 2005,” The Washington Post, October 8, 2016.
After midnight—and hours: “Transcript of Donald Trump’s Videotaped Apology,” The New York Times, October 8, 2016.
Just before 1 p.m., Pence: Yahoo News Staff, “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics,” Yahoo News/Huffington Post, October 6, 2017.
Two hours later, Melania Trump: Ibid.
At 3:40 p.m., Trump tweeted: Ibid.
Will you stay in the race?: Ibid.
Priebus, Christie, even the reliable: Brent Griffiths, “Trump Campaign Manager Reemerges to Show Support for GOP Nominee,” Politico, October 9, 2016; State of the Union transcript, CNN, October 9, 2016.
Giuliani gave, or tried: Meet the Press transcript, NBC, October 9, 2016.
The “transformational” presidential campaign: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, October 9, 2016.
When CNN’s Jake Tapper: State of the Union transcript, CNN, October 9, 2016.
He had pulled out every stop: This Week transcript, ABC, October 9, 2016.
CHAPTER 5
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
The in-depth and wide-ranging 2017 Yahoo News/Huffington Post oral history project “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics” was a helpful resource throughout this chapter.
Giuliani had said twice: State of the Union transcript, CNN, October 9, 2016; Meet the Press transcript, NBC, October 9, 2016.
Just before 7:30 p.m.: Yahoo News Staff, “64 Hours in October: How One Weekend Blew Up the Rules of American Politics,” Yahoo News/Huffington Post, October 6, 2017.
At 7:26, Trump tweeted: Ibid.
Early on, CNN’s Anderson Cooper: Presidential Debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, transcript, Commission on Presidential Debates, October 9, 2016.
They were using Pence well: Pence’s campaign appearances were recorded by the nonpartisan P2016: Race for the White House, http://www.p2016.org/trump/pencecal1116.html.
Two days before the election: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, November 6, 2016.
“If we don’t win”: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks at J. S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina,” November 7, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=122536.
According to Clinton’s book: Hillary Clinton, What Happened (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017), p. 378.
The state was called: Lauren Easton, “Calling the Presidential Race State by State,” AP, https://blog.ap.org/behind-the-news/calling-the-presidential-race-state-by-state.
It was announced he had won: Ibid.
The AP called Wisconsin: Ibid.
“Now it’s time for Americans”: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks in New York City Accepting Election as the 45th President of the United States,” November 9, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=119495.
The president-elect dwelled: Ibid.
The press release listed: Donald J. Trump, “Press release—President-Elect Donald J. Trump Announces Senior White House Leadership Team,” November 13, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=119641.
CHAPTER 6
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
When he was nominated as secretary: Trump announced at a Cincinnati rally on December 1, 2016, that he would nominate Mattis for secretary of defense.
“A very Trumpian-inspired”: Chris Cillizza, “Here’s Why Donald Trump Picked Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State,” The Washington Post, December 13, 2016. Conway gave her comments on a December 12, 2016, episode of MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports.
CHAPTER 7
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Cohn didn’t mention a report: Christine Giordano, “Trump’s Business Credit Score Is 19 Out of a Possible 100,” Fox Business, October 20, 2016.
Five minutes later while Cohn: Donald J. Trump, “Press release—President-Elect Donald J. Trump to Nominate Steven Mnuchin as Secretary of the Treasury, Wilbur Ross as Secretary of Commerce and Todd Ricketts as Deputy Secretary of Commerce,” November 30, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=119711.
The day after Christmas: Interview with Michael Flynn, December 26, 2016.
Flynn was being widely criticized: Rosalind S. Helderman and Tom Hamburger, “Trump Adviser Flynn Paid by multiple Russia-Related Entities, New Records Show,” The Washington Post, March 16, 2017.
CHAPTER 8
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
An unclassified, scaled-back version: Read the unclassified version of the intelligence community’s January 6, 2017, report on the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) website at https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf.
Steele had shared portions: Max Greenwood, “McCain Gave Dossier Containing ‘Sensitive Information’ to FBI,” The Hill, January 11, 2017.
On the second page it said: Ken Bensinger, Miriam Elder and Mark Schoofs, “These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties to Russia,” BuzzFeed News, January 10, 2017.
This was designed to obtain: Ibid.
On December 9, Trump said: Nahal Toosi, “Trump Team Rejects Intel Agencies’ Claims of Russian Meddling,” Politico, December 9, 2016.
He later told Fox News: “Trump: Claims of Russian Interference in 2016 Race ‘Ridiculous,’ Dems Making Excuses,” Fox News, December 11, 2016.
He tweeted, “Unless you catch”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/808300706914594816.
Angry at the criticism: Martin Matishak and Connor O’Brien, “Clapper: Trump Rhetoric on Intel Agencies Alarming U.S. Allies,” Politico, January 5, 2017.
The next day, Kellyanne Conway: Louis Nelson, “Conway ‘Disappointed’ in Media Leaks Before Intel Briefing,” Politico, January 6, 2017.
In a telephone interview: Michael D. Shear and David E. Sanger, “Putin Led a Complex Cyberattack Scheme to Aid Trump, Report Finds,” The New York Times, January 6, 2017.
In his book, Comey offers: James Comey, A Higher Loyalty (New York: Flatiron Books, 2018), p. 218.
Russia has had a long-standing desire: Read the unclassified version of the intelligence community’s January 6, 2017, report on the DNI website at https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf.
Trump was a “clear preference”: Ibid.
Comey later wrote, “I figured”: James Comey, A Higher Loyalty (New York: Flatiron
Books, 2018), p. 224.
In A Higher Loyalty, Comey wrote: Ibid., p. 216.
This is what Comey wrote: Ibid., p. 225.
After the briefing Trump released: Louis Nelson, “Trump Says Hacking Had ‘No Effect on the Outcome of the Election,’ ” Politico, January 6, 2017.
Four days later, January 10: Ken Bensinger, Miriam Elder and Mark Schoofs, “These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties to Russia,” BuzzFeed News, January 10, 2017.
In Facts and Fears, Clapper: James R. Clapper, Facts and Fears (New York: Penguin, 2018), p. 4.
In A Higher Loyalty, published: James Comey, A Higher Loyalty (New York: Flatiron Books, 2018), p. 216.
On January 15, five days: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, January 15, 2017.
Later that afternoon Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/820723387995717632.
CHAPTER 9
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
A lot went wrong: For some of the best public accounts of this event, see Eric Schmitt and David E. Sanger, “Raid in Yemen: Risky from the Start and Costly in the End,” The New York Times, February 1, 2017; and Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Missy Ryan, “In Deadly Yemen Raid, a Lesson for Trump’s National Security Team,” The Washington Post, January 31, 2017.