by Bob Woodward
That afternoon, McMaster chaired: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
Less than two months later: Michelle Ye Hee Lee, “North Korea’s Latest Nuclear Test Was So Powerful It Reshaped the Mountain Above It,” The Washington Post, September 14, 2017.
During the campaign, on February 10: Matt Stevens, “Trump and Kim Jong Un, and the Names They’ve Called Each Other,” The New York Times, March 9, 2018.
He was captured nine months later: Saddam Hussein was tried for crimes against humanity, found guilty and hanged three years later.
From October 17 to 19, 2017: David Cenciotti, “Here Are Some Interesting Details About the Way U.S. B-2 Bombers Trained Over the U.S. to Strike North Korea,” The Aviationist, October 30, 2017.
This question echoed: Wolf Blitzer, “Search for the ‘Smoking Gun,’ ” CNN, January 10, 2003.
Chain migration, formally called: William A. Kandel, “U.S. Family-Based Immigration Policy,” Congressional Research Service, February 9, 2018, https://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R43145.pdf.
Two thirds (68 percent): Ibid.
CHAPTER 23
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Gary Cohn gathered the principals: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
In a late-afternoon Rose Garden: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks Announcing United States Withdrawal from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Agreement,” June 1, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=125881.
On June 15, 2017, The Washington Post: Sari Horwitz, Matt Zapotosky and Adam Entous, “Special Counsel Is Investigating Jared Kushner’s Business Dealings,” The Washington Post, June 15, 2017.
Priebus continued to tell Trump: In early 2018, Jared’s interim Top Secret security clearance was taken away as the FBI continued a very aggressive background investigation. But in May, the FBI granted Jared a permanent Top Secret clearance, suggesting his troubles in the special counsel probe were over—a startling turn in his favor.
CHAPTER 24
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Over the weekend of July 8 and 9: The first article was by Jo Becker, Matt Apuzzo and Adam Goldman, “Trump Team Met with Lawyer Linked to Kremlin During Campaign,” The New York Times, July 8, 2017. The second, by the same reporters, was “Trump’s Son Met with Russian Lawyer After Being Promised Damaging Information on Clinton,” The New York Times, July 9, 2017.
On July 17 Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/886950594220568576.
McGahn, Priebus: Author obtained document.
On July 20 Bloomberg dropped: Greg Farrell and Christian Berthelsen, “Mueller Expands Probe to Trump Business Transactions,” Bloomberg, July 20, 2017.
In a Pentagon-commissioned study: Tom Vanden Brook, “Military Tells Transgender Troops They Can Still Serve and Get Medical Treatment Until Further Notice,” USA Today, July 27, 2017. Read more on the study at https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_briefs/RB9900/RB9909/RAND_RB9909.pdf.
“After consultation with my Generals”: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/890193981585444864.
In two more tweets following: View Trump’s tweets at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/890196164313833472; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/890197095151546369.
The confusion played out: Leo Shane III and Tara Copp, “Trump Says Transgender Troops Can’t Serve in the Military,” MilitaryTimes, July 26, 2017.
Trump spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders,” The White House, July 26, 2017.
Several White House officials: Rachel Bade and Josh Dawsey, “Inside Trump’s Snap Decision to Ban Transgender Troops,” Politico, July 26, 2017.
The commandant of the Coast Guard: Chris Kenning, “Retired Military Officers Slam Trump’s Proposed Transgender Ban,” Reuters, August 1, 2017.
Dunford sent a letter: Rebecca Kheel, “Joint Chiefs: No Change in Transgender Policy Until Trump Sends Pentagon Direction,” The Hill, July 27, 2017.
The White House later issued: Richard Sisk, “Pentagon Ready to Accept Transgender Recruits Starting Jan. 1,” Military.com, December 30, 2017.
CHAPTER 25
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Trump had aimed a pair: View Trump’s tweets at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/880408582310776832; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/880410114456465411.
Following the Mika tweet: Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman, “Trump Mocks Mika Brzezinski; Says She Was ‘Bleeding Badly from a Face-Lift,’ ” The New York Times, June 29, 2017.
Trump wanted to get out of: Greg Miller, Julie Vitkovskaya and Reuben Fischer-Baum, “ ‘This Deal Will Make Me Look Terrible’: Full Transcripts of Trump’s Calls with Mexico and Australia,” The Washington Post, August 3, 2017.
Trump had said, “It is an evil time”: Ibid.
Scribbling his thoughts: Author obtained document.
CHAPTER 26
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Just the previous week: Tom Finn, “U.S., Qatar Sign Agreement on Combating Terrorism Financing,” Reuters, July 10, 2017.
In a news conference in Qatar: Ibid.
In his long quest: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
On Wednesday, July 19, 2017: Peter Baker, Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman, “Citing Recusal, Trump Says He Wouldn’t Have Hired Sessions,” The New York Times, July 19, 2017.
Two days later Trump continued: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/889467610332528641.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal: Michael C. Bender, “Trump Won’t Say if He Will Fire Sessions,” The Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2017.
On July 24 Kushner released: Annie Karni, “Kushner Defends His Russia Contacts: ‘I Did Not Collude,’ ” Politico, July 24, 2017.
Graham said Sessions: Rebecca Savransky, “Graham Defends Sessions: Trump Tweets ‘Highly Inappropriate,’ ” The Hill, July 25, 2017.
Priebus talked the president: Chris Whipple, “ ‘Who Needs a Controversy over the Inauguration?’ Reince Priebus Opens Up About His Six Months of Magical Thinking,” Vanity Fair, March 2018.
CHAPTER 27
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Priebus called a full senior staff meeting: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
“They’re all making money,” Trump said: The 2015 nuclear deal had been a bonanza for the European Union countries. EU imports from Iran had grown an astonishing 347 percent in 2016 over the previous year. (Source: Congressional Research Service, October 25, 2017.) One French company had made a $4.7 billion gas deal in Iran. Trump, of course, made the point without the details.
Trump recalled that General Nicholson: MOAB officially stands for Massive Ordnance Air Blast.
Trump left the meeting: Jordan Fabian, “In-Town Pool Report #2—Troop Greeting & Another Comment on Afghan,” 12:51 p.m., July 20, 2017, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/report.php?pid=2357.
A senior White House official who spoke contemporaneously: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
CHAPTER 28
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
McMaster said that at 6:03 a.m.: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/889788202172780544.
In November 2017, he had said: Donald J. Trump, “The Presiden
t’s News Conference with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan in Tokyo, Japan,” November 6, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128510.
On December 22, the vote was 15 to 0: Rick Gladstone and David E. Sanger, “Security Council Tightens Economic Vise on North Korea, Blocking Fuel, Ships and Workers,” The New York Times, December 22, 2017.
“Reince is a fucking paranoid”: Ryan Lizza, “Anthony Scaramucci Called Me to Unload About White House Leakers, Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon,” The New Yorker, July 27, 2017.
He looked down at the latest: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/891038014314598400.
Kelly said in a statement: Cristiano Lima, “Kelly ‘Honored’ to Serve as White House Chief of Staff,” Politico, July 28, 2017.
CHAPTER 29
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
At 1 p.m. on Fox: The spokeswoman’s comments may be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/UshUxz7Lt0w.
At 1:19 p.m. Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/896420822780444672.
Later in the afternoon: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on Signing the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 in Bedminster, New Jersey,” August 12, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128032; and author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
“Very important for the nation”: Kristine Phillips, “Trump Didn’t Call Out White Supremacists. He Was Rebuked by Members of His Own Party,” The Washington Post, August 13, 2017.
“Mr. President—we must call evil”: Ibid.
“My brother didn’t give his life”: Ibid.
In a statement, Senator John McCain: Ibid.
House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted: Ibid.
Mitt Romney tweeted: Ibid.
Republican senator Lindsey Graham appeared: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, August 13, 2017.
Vice President Pence added: Philip Rucker, “Pence: ‘We Have No Tolerance for . . . White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis or the KKK,” The Washington Post, August 13, 2017.
Shortly after 12:30 p.m.: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on the Situation in Charlottesville, Virginia,” August 14, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128019.
Rob O’Neill, a former Navy SEAL: “Trump Condemns Hate Groups Amid Uproar over Initial Response,” transcript, Fox News, August 14, 2017.
CHAPTER 30
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
At the press briefing: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on Infrastructure and an Exchange with Reporters in New York City,” August 15, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=126765.
David Duke, the well-known former Ku Klux Klan leader: View Duke’s tweet at https://twitter.com/drdavidduke/status/897559892164304896.
The leaders of each branch: Ben Watson, “How U.S. Military Leaders Are Reacting to Charlottesville,” Defense One, August 16, 2017.
On CBS, Stephen Colbert joked darkly: Emily Yahr, “ ‘Clinically Insane,’ ‘7th Circle of Hell’: Late-Night Hosts Process Trump’s News Conference,” The Washington Post, August 16, 2017.
Kenneth Frazier, the head of Merck: Nolan D. McCaskill, “Trump Attacks Merck CEO for Quitting Manufacturing Council over Charlottesville,” Politico, August 14, 2017.
Now that Frazier had resigned: Ibid.
Still stewing, in a second Twitter swipe: Ibid.
On Tuesday, August 15, Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/897478270442143744.
Trump preempted further resignations: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/897869174323728385.
On Friday, August 18: Author review of contemporaneous notes.
The next Monday at the White House: Ibid.
Mnuchin had put out a statement: “Statement by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, August 19, 2017.
Cohn chose to make his views known: “Transcript: Gary Cohn on Tax Reform and Charlottesville,” Financial Times, August 25, 2017.
CHAPTER 31
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Republican senator Bob Corker: “Republican Senator Says Trump Yet to Demonstrate Needed Stability,” Reuters, August 17, 2017.
And Politico had run a long piece: Nancy Cook and Josh Dawsey, “ ‘He Is Stubborn and Doesn’t Realize How Bad This Is Getting,’ ” Politico, August 16, 2017.
“President Trump, by asking”: Jeremy W. Peters, Jonathan Martin and Jack Healy, “Trump’s Embrace of Racially Charged Past Puts Republicans in Crisis,” The New York Times, August 16, 2017.
Vice President Mike Pence: View Pence’s tweet at https://twitter.com/vp/status/896471461669605376.
“Off the record,” Trump said: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
Bannon had just given an interview: Robert Kuttner, “Steve Bannon, Unrepentant,” The American Prospect, August 16, 2017.
A nationally televised Afghanistan strategy speech: Donald J. Trump: “Address to the Nation on United States Strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia,” August 21, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=126842.
John McCain commented: “McCain on the New Strategy for Afghanistan,” August 21, 2017.
Democratic senator and Clinton running mate: “Kaine: U.S. Must Be ‘Invested’ in Afghanistan,” Talking Points Memo, August 21, 2017.
He addressed the Taliban: Aaron Blake, “Rex Tillerson Totally Undercut Trump’s ‘We Will Win’ Rhetoric on Afghanistan,” The Washington Post, August 22, 2017.
CHAPTER 32
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Trump had in his hands: Author obtained document.
Trump assembled a group: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
Trump announced the end: Michael D. Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis, “Trump Moves to End DACA and Calls on Congress to Act,” The New York Times, September 5, 2017.
Two days later he tried to calm: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/905788459301908480.
CHAPTER 33
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Trump had finally agreed to sign: Donald J. Trump, “Memorandum on Addressing China’s Laws, Policies, Practices, and Actions Related to Intellectual Property, Innovation, and Technology,” August 14, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128023.
In his public remarks: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on Signing a Memorandum on Addressing China’s Laws, Policies, Practices, and Actions Related to Intellectual Property, Innovation, and Technology and an Exchange with Reporters,” August 14, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128022. Note that Trump delivered these remarks on August 14, the same day as his second set of remarks on Charlottesville. His Charlottesville speech was at 12:40 p.m. and his remarks on China were at 3:06 p.m.
Kelly decided he was going to assert: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
CHAPTER 34
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
In May he said he wo
uld be: Ashley Parker and Anne Gearan, “President Trump Says He Would Be ‘Honored’ to Meet with North Korean Dictator,” The Washington Post, May 1, 2017.
In August he told the press: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks Prior to a Briefing on the Opioid Crisis and an Exchange with Reporters in Bedminster, New Jersey,” August 8, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=127991.
But the president summed up his position: “Excerpts from Trump’s Interview with the Times,” interview conducted by Michael S. Schmidt, The New York Times, December 28, 2017.
On September 19, 2017, President Trump gave: Donald. J. Trump, “Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City,” September 19, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128326.
Kim fired back three days later: “Full Text of Kim Jong-un’s Response to President Trump,” The New York Times, September 22, 2017.
In a tweet on September 23: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/911789314169823232.
For weeks, Tillerson had been: Arit John and Mark Niquette, “Tillerson Vows ‘Peaceful Pressure Campaign’ Against North Korea,” Bloomberg, September 17, 2017.
On October 1, months after Tillerson: View Trump’s tweets at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/914497877543735296; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/914497947517227008.
In November, Trump saw Chris Crane: See Crane’s letter summarizing the ICE agents’ complaints at https://jicreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/POTUS-Ltr-11_13_2017.pdf.
The nomination was sent to the Senate: Ashley Parker and Matt Zapotosky, “Trump Taps Kirstjen Nielsen to Lead Department of Homeland Security,” The Washington Post, October 11, 2017.
