on election night, 45, 46, 47, 214–15
in final ten days of campaign, 43–44, 45
foreign policy, on lack of organizing principle for, 195–96
foreign policy, Pentagon lunch and Tank meeting on, 218–26
Graham and, 186–88
on immigration, 185–88, 267–68, 321
Kelly and, 253–54, 261
Kushner and Ivanka Trump, problems with, 144–45, 186
Mannafort, meeting with, 20–22
McMaster, appointment of, 86–87, 88, 89, 90
on Melania Trump, 32, 299
on Middle East, 297–98, 307
on military families, and Trump, 75
money for transition team and, 40–41, 42
Mueller investigation, testimony in, 352
on North Korea, 259
on Paris Climate Accord, 190, 191, 192
presidential campaign, takeover of, 8–16, 19–24
Priebus and, 48, 144, 145, 236–37
Priebus on, 236–37
resignation of, 254, 259, 267, 321
on Saudi Arabia, 114, 298
second presidential debate and, 38–39
Sessions, Trump’s attack on, 214–15
on Syrian air strike, 148, 149–50, 151
#TimesUp and #MeToo movements, 299–300
on trade/trade agreements/trade deficit, 140
on transgender troops, 201, 203
Trump, breakdown in relationship with, 190, 297–301
Trump presidency as viewed by, 297–300
White House staffing in transition period and, 51, 55
Yemen strike and, 72–73, 75
Bedminster, Trump National Golf Club at, 12, 51, 229, 238, 240, 248, 261
Beirut, bombing of Marine Barracks in (1983), 52
Bernanke, Ben, 233
Biden, Joe, 99, 122
bin Laden, Osama, 108, 116
bipartisanship, 99, 103, 217, 218
Blackwater (defense contractor), 122
Bloomberg, 199, 339
Blue Lightning, 279
Blue Room (White House), 104
Bolton, John, 87–88
Bortnikov, Alexander, 28
Bossert, Tom, 339–42
Bossie, David, 1–7, 40, 145
Boston bombers, 207
Brady, Kevin, 291, 292, 294
Brazile, Donna, 30
Breitbart News, 8, 9, 22, 39
Breitbart News Daily (radio show), 13
Brennan, John O., 28, 62, 63, 64, 68, 182–83
Britain. See United Kingdom
Broaddrick, Juanita, 38, 39
Brzezinski, Mika, 205, 206
Building and Construction Trades, 335
Bunker, Archie, Trump compared to, 3, 25
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 138
Bush, George H. W., 76
Bush, George W., 31, 64, 76, 93, 105, 116, 117, 137, 182, 185, 260, 274, 314, 318
Bush, Jeb, 17, 100
BuzzFeed, 69
Cabinet Room (White House), 251, 317, 337
Camp David, 146, 254
Campbell Soup, 248
Canada
case for free trade with, 220
Chinese intellectual property violations and, 272
NAFTA, 135, 142, 155–58, 160, 233, 264, 274
Caslen, Robert, 88–89
CBS, 246, 302
CBS This Morning, 65, 181
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Afghanistan War and, 119, 123, 126, 255, 257–58
intelligence standards, 63–64
Iran nuclear deal and, 132
Iraq, WMD allegations against, 64
North Korea and, 180, 183, 308
permanent government institutions, power of, 162
Russian meddling in election and, 28–29, 62–71
Saddam Hussein, efforts to remove, 182–83
on Saudis, 111
Syria, Saudi Arabia funding operations in, 303
chain immigration (family reunification policy), 186–87, 268, 321
change agent, Trump as, 15, 297
Charlottesville, 238–52
CEO comments on, 247–48
Cohn’s response to, 248–51
Congressional comments on, 239–40
media coverage of Trump and, 253–54
military comments on, 246
Mnuchin on, 250
Porter’s response to presidential comments about, 247, 252
Trump comments on, 239, 240–47, 249
video watched by Trump, 248–49
white supremacist march in, 238–39
chemical weapons attack on Syrian rebels, air strike in retaliation for (April 2017), 146–54
Cheney, Dick, 49
Child Tax Credit, 293–94
China
Afghanistan’s mineral wealth and, 125, 309, 311
agricultural trade with, 158–61, 220, 341
antibiotics produced by, 275
Bannon on, 196, 297, 298
Bossert on trade with, 339–42
as currency manipulator, 223
cyber wars with, 339–40, 341
economy of, compared to U.S., 298
intellectual property violations, 301 investigation into, 272–73, 336, 337
jobs lost to, 6, 15
McMaster on, 232
North Korea and, 97, 102, 105, 179, 180, 272, 282
presidential election interference and, 65, 69
Syrian air strike and, 151, 153
tariffs and, 135, 159, 174
Tillerson on, 229
U.S., policy leaders’ views on, 196, 297
U.S. in Afghanistan and, 313
WTO disputes with, 276
Christian Broadcasting Network, 328
Christie, Chris, 12, 13, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 42
CIA. See Central Intelligence Agency
Citizens United, 1
Clapper, James, 27, 29, 62–64, 65, 67–68, 70, 93, 96–97, 147
Clean Power Plan, 192
climate change, Paris Accord on, 189–94
Clinton, Bill, 30, 32–33, 38, 39, 84, 93, 105, 164, 165, 181, 183, 321, 351, 352
Clinton, Hillary
Comey, firing of, 163, 164
on election night, 45–46, 47
email investigations, 163, 172–73, 327, 331, 350
Haitians accusing Clintons of corruption, 321
“Lock Her Up” chant against, 43, 60
Jill McCabe campaign donations attributed by Trump to, 84
North Korea and, 92
in presidential campaign, 9, 10, 13, 15–16, 17, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 44, 134
Russian election meddling and, 60, 63, 67, 84, 172–73, 197, 349
on Trump and nuclear threat, 301
Ukraine presidential campaign sabotage in favor of, Russian propaganda about, 230
CNN, 17, 36, 38, 39, 85, 164, 165, 195, 205, 241, 299
Coats, Dan, 110, 180
Cobb, Ty, 171, 325–26, 348, 351, 353, 354
Cohen, Michael, 172, 199
Cohen, William, 181
Cohn, Gary
on Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, 310
bankruptcies of Trump and, 274–75
Charlottesville, response to, 243, 248–51
China’s intellectual property violations and, 272–73
as Democrat, 55–56, 60
disorder and disruption in White House and, 261, 264, 265, 266, 270, 271
on economy, 55–60, 274
foreign policy, Pentagon lunch and Tank meeting on, 218–26
jobs offered by Trump to, 58–60
KORUS, Trump’s desire to terminate, xvii, xviii–xix, xx–xxi, 233, 264, 265, 305
on NAFTA, 156, 158, 274
Navarro and, 277–78
NEC director, appointment as, 59–60
Paris Climate Accord and, 191–93
Pence and, 277
resignation of, 337–39
Russian election meddling/co
llusion/Mueller investigation and, 165, 230
Syrian air strike and, 150
on tariffs, 158, 160, 175, 208–9, 232–33, 266–67, 273–74, 277, 334, 335, 336, 337
on tax reform, 57, 249–50, 251, 267, 289–95
on trade/trade agreements/trade deficit, 135–38, 140, 141, 143, 273–78
Twitter, efforts to control president’s use of, 206
Cohn, Lisa, 60
Colbert, Stephen, 246
Collins, Susan, 206, 295
collusion with Russia. See Mueller investigation; Russia, collusion with
Colombia, Hezbollah in, 109
Comey, James
Hillary Clinton email investigations and, 163, 327, 331, 350
firing of, 162–66, 169, 216
Flynn investigation, Trump urging Comey to drop, 164, 169–70, 173
A Higher Loyalty, 66–67, 68–69, 70
on loyalty pledge, 317
Mueller investigation and, 326, 327, 328, 331, 345, 349, 350
Russia, intelligence report on, 62, 63, 66–67, 68–69, 70–71, 85
Congress. See also specific members of Congress by name
apologies of Graham for Republican majority, 101
Charlottesville, comments on, 239–40
free traders in, 267
Freedom Caucus, 43, 201
Gang of Eight briefings, 29, 62
Graham on state of, 101, 102
House Ethics Committee, 170
immigration, possible deal on, 317–23
immigration and, 186–87
Senate Armed Services Committee, 65, 99, 105, 255
tax reform and, 267, 291–93, 294, 295
Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), 322–23
Constitution, Article II powers of president in, 326, 328, 350, 356
Conway, Kellyanne, 16–18, 24–25, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 40, 46, 54, 65, 236, 237, 261
Cook, Tim, 190
Cooper, Anderson, 39
Corke, Kevin, 243
Corker, Bob, 253
corrupt intent, as focus of Mueller investigation, 346, 350
Costa, Bob, xiii, xxii
Cotton, Tom, 286
Coulter, Ann, 284
Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams (CTPT), 123, 255
CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), 322–23
Crane, Chris, 283
crowdsourcing by Trump, 231
CTPT (Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams), 123, 255
culture wars, 252
currency manipulation, 223
cyber attacks and cyber security, 92, 93, 97–98, 280, 339–40, 341
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), 185–88, 267, 285, 317, 318, 319, 321
Daily Mail (United Kingdom), 145
DCLeaks, 28
debt ceiling, 58, 292
decision memos, xix, 143, 190, 201, 202, 262–63, 266, 287, 336
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), 185–88, 267, 285, 317, 318, 319, 321
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ; between North and South Korea), 94
Democratic National Committee (DNC), 28, 30, 327
Democratic National Convention, 24, 74, 301
Democrats. See also individual Democrats by name
donations by Trump to, 5
in Gang of Eight, 29, 62
Graham on bipartisanship, 103
on immigration, 217, 268, 317, 318, 319
Kushner and Ivanka described by Trump as, 144, 190
on Mueller investigation team, 169
tariffs and, 233
tax reform and, 291
Trump’s relationship to, 103
Virginia Democratic Party, 84
Deng, Wendi, 20
“deplorables,” 35, 355
Dereliction of Duty (McMaster), 86, 87, 117
DeStefano, Johnny, 132, 212
Deutsche Bank, records subpoenaed from, 326–27
Devos, Betsy, 123
Dimon, Jamie, 248
Diplomatic Reception Room (White House), 242
diversity lottery, 321
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone; between North and South Korea), 94
DNC (Democratic National Committee), 28, 30, 327
Dobbs, Lou, 284
domestic abuse allegations against Porter, 336
Donaldson, Annie, 198
donations to political parties/candidates by Trump, 5, 6
Donilon, Tom, and Donilon memo, 53
Donnelly, Sally, 195–96, 203
“dotard” remark of Kim Jong Un, 281
Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, 73
Dowd, Carole, 356
Dowd, John, 167–72, 173, 197–98, 199–201, 271, 324–33, 343–57
Dr. Strangelove (film), 301
Dreamers and DACA, 185–88, 267, 285, 317, 318, 319, 321
Duke, David, 246
Dunford, Joseph, 76, 77, 86, 99–100, 124, 132, 203, 222, 280, 302, 305, 306, 307, 308
Durbin, Dick, 185, 187, 188, 286, 318, 319–20
Earned Income Tax Credit, 293
economy. See also jobs; trade/trade deficits/trade agreements
autonomous vehicles, economic impact of, 58
Cohn’s initial meeting with Trump on, 55–60
conservative approach urged by Cohn, 274
financial crisis of 2008 (Great Recession), 137, 293
Graham on Trump’s success with, 316
of Russia, China, and U.S. compared, 298
of South Korea, 305
stock market, 194, 232, 242, 302, 334, 339
tariffs, effect of, 339
tax reform, increased economic growth as means of paying for, 291
U.S. as consumer-driven economy, 339
U.S. as trade-based economy, 56
World Economic Forum, Trump speech at (January 2018), 298–99
Egypt, release of U.S. charity worker imprisoned in, 324
El Salvador, immigrants from, 320
election campaign. See presidential election campaign
election night, 45–47
el-Sisi, Abdel Fattah, 324
emails
Clinton email investigations, 163, 172–73, 327, 331, 350
from DNC server, 28
from Podesta’s personal account, 30, 36
employment. See jobs
England. See United Kingdom
Espy, Mike, 351
Europe/European Union. See also specific countries
Brexit referendum, 78
Chinese intellectual property violations and, 272
economic growth rate in, 78
Iran, trade with, 221, 223
executive privilege and presidential testimony in Mueller investigation, 351
“Executive Time” for Trump, 266
F-22s, 178
Face the Nation (TV show), 302
Facebook, 33, 39, 190, 206
Facts and Fears (Clapper), 70
Fahrenthold, David, 29
fake news, concept of, 164, 311, 357
family reunification policy (chain immigration), 186–87, 268, 321
FBI. See Federal Bureau of Investigation
fear, as real power, xiii, 175, 275, 300
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
firing of Comey and, 162
intelligence standards, 63
Kushner financial records sought by, 163
Mueller as director, 168, 170
Russian meddling in election and, 27, 62–71, 83–85, 330
fighting/pushing back, Trump’s belief in, 166, 174, 175, 176
financial crisis of 2008 (Great Recession), 137, 293
Financial Times, 8, 251
Fire and Fury (Wolff), 297
FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act), 174
Flake, Jeff, 295
Flynn, Michael
Comey, firing of, 164
Comey on Trump asking him to drop investigation of, 164, 169–70, 173
lies and lying,
82, 198, 330, 345
as national security advisor to presidential campaign, 46
resignation of, 82, 330
Russia, interview with Woodward on, 60–61
Russian election meddling/collusion/Mueller investigation, 80–82, 169, 170, 173, 198, 327–30, 345, 348, 349, 353, 357
treason, denial of, 82
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), 174
foreign policy. See also specific countries and issues
lack of organizing principle for, 195–96
Pentagon lunch and Tank meeting on, 218–26
personal relationships, Trump’s belief in, 231–32
foreign wars, Trump on, 15, 229–30, 314. See also specific engagements
Fox News, 13, 49, 65, 87–88, 101, 107, 165, 231, 238, 242, 281, 283, 284, 328, 355
Fox News Sunday, 44, 71, 240
Frazier, Kenneth, 247
free trade and free trade agreements. See trade/trade deficits/trade agreements
Freedom Caucus, 43, 201
FSB (Russia), 28, 64
Fuentes, Zach, 285
“full Ginsburg,” 36
Fusion GPS, 327
G20, 179, 207–9
Galleon Group, 355
Gallucci, Robert, 95
Gang of Eight, 29, 62
Gap, 136
Gardner, Cory, 239
Gates, Rick, 348
Gates, Robert, 54
GBU-43/B (Mother of All Bombs or MOAB), 222
Geffen, David, 20
gender reassignment surgery for military personnel, 201–3
General Electric, 248
U.S.S Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), 213
Gergen, David, 164
Germany
American relationship with, 96
Deutsche Bank, Mueller investigation subpoenaing records from, 326
G20 summit in, 207
NATO spending, 76
trade deficit with, 275
Ghani, Ashraf, 126, 309
Ginsburg, William H., 36
Giuliani, Rudy, 4, 12, 13, 32, 33, 34, 36–37, 38
globalists and globalism, 51, 134, 143, 192, 220, 254, 278, 334, 335
Gold Star families, 73–75
Goldman Sachs, xvii, 26, 36, 41, 55, 135, 208, 234, 275, 290, 291
golf and golfing, 12, 13, 30, 106, 140, 166, 195, 238, 246, 249, 299, 316, 318, 320–21, 339
Gore, Al, 190
Gorsuch, Neil, 204
Graham, Lindsey
on Afghanistan War, 121–22, 123, 126–28, 259, 316
Biden on, 99
cell phone number given out by Trump, 100, 101
on Charlottesville, 240
on immigration, 185–88, 317–21
on libel laws, 318–19
on North Korea, 99–105, 281–82, 302
on removing U.S. dependents from South Korea, 302
on Sessions, 215
on Syrian air strike, 151–52
Trump calling, without going through Kelly, 286
Trump praised by, 316–17, 318–19
Grassley, Chuck, 295