A Very Stable Genius

by Philip Rucker

  U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley: Greg Jaffe and Philip Rucker, “National Security Adviser Attempts to Reconcile Trump’s Competing Impulses on Afghanistan,” Washington Post, Aug. 4, 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-fight-over-trumps-afghan-policy-has-become-an-argument-over-the-meaning-of-america-first/2017/08/04/f2790c80-785f-11e7-8f39-eeb7d3a2d304_story.html.

  “Remember what we’ve always said”: Mueller, “Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election.”

  unnamed senior officials: Carol D. Leonnig, Adam Entous, Devlin Barrett, and Matt Zapotosky, “Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to FBI on Contacts with Russian Ambassador,” Washington Post, Dec. 1, 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/michael-flynn-charged-with-making-false-statement-to-the-fbi/2017/12/01/e03a6c48-d6a2-11e7-9461-ba77d604373d_story.html.

  “What the president has to say”: Miller, Jaffe, and Rucker, “Doubting the Intelligence, Trump Pursues Putin and Leaves a Russian Threat Unchecked.”

  Chapter Twelve: Spygate

  “Television is often”: Ashley Parker and Robert Costa, “‘Everyone Tunes In’: Inside Trump’s Obsession with Cable TV,” Washington Post, April 23, 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/everyone-tunes-in-inside-trumps-obsession-with-cable-tv/2017/04/23/3c52bd6c-25e3-11e7-a1b3-faff0034e2de_story.html.

  When a CNN reporter: Dan Merica, “John Kelly Likes to Pretend Trump’s Tweets Don’t Matter. But They Do,” CNN, Jan. 11, 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/01/11/politics/john-kelly-donald-trump-tweets/index.html.

  Trump’s comment in the closed-door meeting: Josh Dawsey, “Trump Derides Protections for Immigrants from ‘Shithole’ Countries,” Washington Post, Jan. 12, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-attacks-protections-for-immigrants-from-shithole-countries-in-oval-office-meeting/2018/01/11/bfc0725c-f711-11e7-91af-31ac729add94_story.html?utm_term=.51cd945b8204.

  “My counsel to him is”: “Trey Gowdy Full Interview with Erin Burnett,” CNN, Jan. 24, 2018, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpjva6xa-Nc.

  Chapter Thirteen: Breakdown

  In a White House staff notable: Katie Rogers, “Rob Porter’s Charisma and Ambition Disguised Flare-Ups of Anger,” New York Times, Feb. 19, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/02/19/us/politics/rob-porter-white-house-resigned.html.

  In addition, the Porter case coincided: Michael Rothfeld and Joe Palazzolo, “Trump Lawyer Arranged $130,000 Payment for Adult-Film Star’s Silence,” Wall Street Journal, Jan. 12, 2018, www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lawyer-arranged-130-000-payment-for-adult-film-stars-silence-1515787678.

  Amid the media scrutiny: Carol D. Leonnig, Robert Costa, and Josh Dawsey, “Top Justice Dept. Official Alerted White House 2 Weeks Ago to Ongoing Issues in Kushner’s Security Clearance,” Washington Post, Feb. 23, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-justice-dept-official-alerted-white-house-2-weeks-ago-to-ongoing-issues-in-kushners-security-clearance/2018/02/23/aa9b37c8-17f4-11e8-92c9-376b4fe57ff7_story.html.

  Bill Daley, a former White House: Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker, and Josh Dawsey, “‘Jared Has Faded’: Inside the 28 Days of Tumult That Left Kushner Badly Diminished,” Washington Post, March 2, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jared-has-faded-inside-the-28-days-of-tumult-that-left-kushner-badly-diminished/2018/03/02/62acb9ce-1ca8-11e8-9de1-147dd2df3829_story.html.

  An aide briefed on: Shane Harris et al., “New White House Security Clearance Policy Could Put ‘Bull’s Eye’ on Kushner,” Washington Post, Feb. 16, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/overhaul-of-white-house-security-clearance-process-could-threaten-kushners-access/2018/02/16/09f2dc9e-11b5-11e8-9065-e55346f6de81_story.html.

  “This is a man who”: Philip Rucker, “John Kelly’s Credibility Is at Risk After Defending Aide Accused of Domestic Violence,” Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/john-kellys-credibility-is-at-risk-after-defending-aide-accused-of-domestic-violence/2018/02/08/e8e1ff06-0ccf-11e8-8890-372e2047c935_story.html.

  Kelly said he would: Sophie Tatum, “Kelly Says He’ll ‘Never’ Apologize for Comments About Rep. Frederica Wilson,” CNN, Oct. 31, 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/10/30/politics/john-kelly-frederica-wilson-apologize/index.html.

  “When you lose that power”: Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, and Philip Rucker, “‘When You Lose That Power’: How John Kelly Faded as White House Disciplinarian,” Washington Post, April 7, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/when-you-lose-that-power-how-john-kelly-faded-as-white-house-disciplinarian/2018/04/07/5e5b8b42-39be-11e8-acd5-35eac230e514_story.html.

  The two men argued so loudly: Maggie Haberman and Katie Rogers, “The Day John Kelly and Corey Lewandowski Squared Off Outside the Oval Office,” New York Times, Oct. 22, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/us/politics/john-kelly-lewandowski-fight-secret-service.html.

  The intelligence agencies were on guard: Shane Harris et al., “Kushner’s Overseas Contacts Raise Concerns as Foreign Officials Seek Leverage,” Washington Post, Feb. 27, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/kushners-overseas-contacts-raise-concerns-as-foreign-officials-seek-leverage/2018/02/27/16bbc052-18c3-11e8-942d-16a950029788_story.html.

  Kushner and Ivanka disputed: Jonathan Swan, “Kushner, for First Time, Claims He Never Discussed Security Clearance with Trump,” Axios, June 3, 2019, www.axios.com/jared-kushner-security-clearance-donald-trump-f7706db1-a978-42ec-90db-c2787f19cef3.html.

  Observers registered a new level: Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker, and Josh Dawsey, “‘Pure Madness’: Dark Days Inside the White House as Trump Shocks and Rages,” Washington Post, March 3, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pure-madness-dark-days-inside-the-white-house-as-trump-shocks-and-rages/2018/03/03/9849867c-1e72-11e8-9de1-147dd2df3829_story.html.

  Chapter Fourteen: One-Man Firing Squad

  Paul Rosenzweig, who worked: Carol D. Leonnig and Robert Costa, “Mueller Raised Possibility of Presidential Subpoena in Meeting with Trump’s Legal Team,” Washington Post, May 1, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mueller-raised-possibility-of-presidential-subpoena-in-meeting-with-trumps-legal-team/2018/05/01/2bdec08e-4d51-11e8-af46-b1d6dc0d9bfe_story.html?utm_term=.6c6e572f2b4a.

  At the same time, some of Trump’s top: Ashley Parker et al., “‘It Was a Different Mind-Set’: How Trump Soured on Tillerson as His Top Diplomat,” Washington Post, March 13, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/it-was-a-different-mind-set-how-trump-soured-on-tillerson-as-his-top-diplomat/2018/03/13/899b1fba-26d7-11e8-b79d-f3d931db7f68_story.html?utm_term=.976cb15f60a2.

  As a twenty-year veteran: Matt Zapotosky, “Andrew McCabe, Trump’s Foil at the FBI, Is Fired Hours Before He Could Retire,” Washington Post, March 16, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbis-andrew-mccabe-is-fired-a-little-more-than-24-hours-before-he-could-retire/2018/03/16/e055a22a-2895-11e8-bc72-077aa4dab9ef_story.html?utm_term=.e7f6d060ca6d.

  Dowd got twisted in knots: Betsy Woodruff, “Trump’s Lawyer: It’s Time to End the Mueller Probe,” Daily Beast, March 17, 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-lawyer-its-time-to-fire-robert-mueller.

  A few hours later: Carol D. Leonnig and Philip Rucker, “Trump’s Lawyer Calls On Justice Department to Immediately End Russia Probe,” Washington Post, March 17, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-lawyer-calls-on-justice-department-to-immediately-end-russia-probe/2018/03/17/c7c58ac8-29f2-11e8-874b-d517e912f125_story.html.

  “That is certainly an unconventional way”: Ashley Parker et al., “Trump Shakes Up Team of Lawyers as Legal Threats Mount,” Washington Post, March 19, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-shakes-up-team-of-lawyers-as-legal-threats-mount/2018/03/19/fad71bb0-2ba1-11e8-b0b0-f706877db618_story.html?utm_term=.05c099cf1ed8.

  Dowd issued a short, simple statement: Carol D. Leonnig, Josh Dawsey, and Ashley Parker, “Trump Has Trouble Finding Attorneys as Top Russia Lawyer Leaves Legal Team,” Washington Post, March 22, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-attorney-john-dowd-resigns-amid-shake-up-in-presidents-legal-team/2018/03/22/0472ce74-2de3-11e8-8688-e053ba58f1e4_story
.html.

  Chapter Fifteen: Congratulating Putin

  “Everybody fears the perp walk”: Ashley Parker et al., “Trump Decides to Remove National Security Adviser, and Others May Follow,” Washington Post, March 15, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-decides-to-remove-national-security-adviser-and-others-may-follow/2018/03/15/fea2ebae-285c-11e8-bc72-077aa4dab9ef_story.html?utm_term=.0dd538b03dd0.

  It was, as the BBC: Sarah Rainsford, “Russia Election: Putin Basks in Election He Could Not Lose,” BBC News, March 19, 2018, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43454830.

  “It’s not us”: Greg Jaffe, Josh Dawsey, and Carol D. Leonnig, “Ahead of NATO and Putin Summits, Trump’s Unorthodox Diplomacy Rattles Allies,” Washington Post, July 6, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ahead-of-nato-and-putin-summits-trumps-unorthodox-diplomacy-rattles-allies/2018/07/06/16c7aa4e-7006-11e8-bd50-b80389a4e569_story.html.

  For her part, British prime minister: Adam Taylor, “Trump Congratulated Putin on His Victory. Other World Leaders Stopped Short of That,” Washington Post, March 21, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/03/21/trump-congratulated-putin-on-his-victory-other-world-leaders-stopped-short-of-that/.

  The Washington Post first reported: Carol D. Leonnig, David Nakamura, and Josh Dawsey, “Trump’s National Security Advisers Warned Him Not to Congratulate Putin. He Did It Anyway,” Washington Post, March 20, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-national-security-advisers-warned-him-not-to-congratulate-putin-he-did-it-anyway/2018/03/20/22738ebc-2c68-11e8-8ad6-fbc50284fce8_story.html?utm_term=.8e5b5df5699a.

  Jay Sekulow announced: Josh Dawsey, Carol D. Leonnig, and Rosalind S. Helderman, “Trump’s Legal Team Remains in Disarray as New Lawyer Will No Longer Represent Him in Russia Probe,” Washington Post, March 25, 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-another-blow-to-trumps-efforts-to-combat-russia-probe-digenova-will-no-longer-join-legal-team/2018/03/25/8ac8c8d2-3038-11e8-94fa-32d48460b955_story.html.

  Chapter Sixteen: A Chilling Raid

  “He was treated like”: Marc Perrusguia, “Power Broker,” Daily Memphian, May 17, 2018, dailymemphian.com/article/1174/POWER-BROKER.

  “This search warrant is like”: Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey, and Robert Costa, “‘A Bomb on Trump’s Front Porch’: FBI’s Cohen Raids Hit Home for the President,” Washington Post, April 9, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-bomb-on-trumps-front-porch-fbis-cohen-raids-hit-home-for-the-president/2018/04/09/6abb816e-3c37-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html.

  The sections of the U.S. criminal codes: Carol D. Leonnig, Tom Hamburger, and Devlin Barrett, “Trump Attorney Cohen Is Being Investigated for Possible Bank Fraud, Campaign Finance Violations,” Washington Post, April 9, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-seizes-records-related-to-stormy-daniels-in-raid-of-trump-attorney-michael-cohens-office/2018/04/09/e3e43cf4-3c30-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html.

  Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad: Anne Gearan and Carol Morello, “Trump Says U.S. Will Decide on Response to ‘Atrocious’ Attack in Syria in 24 to 48 Hours,” Washington Post, April 9, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-says-us-to-decide-on-response-to-atrocious-syria-chemical-attack-in-24-to-48-hours/2018/04/09/1398c5aa-3bfa-11e8-a7d1-e4efec6389f0_story.html?utm_term=.880adbc397bd.

  testified to Congress: Katie Rogers, Maggie Haberman, and Nicholas Fandos, “Ex-White House Official Says No One Pressured Him to Overturn Security Clearance Recommendations,” New York Times, May 2, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/us/politics/carl-kline-security-clearance.html.

  tell ABC News: Allison Pecorin, “Ivanka Trump Says She and Jared Kushner Got No Special Treatment for Security Clearances,” ABC News, Feb. 8, 2019, abcnews.go.com/Politics/ivanka-trump-jared-kushner-special-treatment-security-clearances/story?id=60940398.

  Chapter Seventeen: Hand Grenade Diplomacy

  “Here, Angela. Don’t say I never”: Aris Folley, “Ian Bremmer: Trump Tossed Candy to Merkel at G-7, Said ‘Don’t Say I Never Give You Anything,’” Hill, June 20, 2018, https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/393311-ian-bremmer-trump-tossed-candy-to-merkel-during-g-7-said-dont.

  The president, this adviser added: Philip Rucker, “The ‘Dotard’ Meets ‘Little Rocket Man’: Trump and Kim Are Adversaries with Many Similarities,” Washington Post, June 10, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-dotard-meets-little-rocket-man-trump-and-kim-are-adversaries-with-many-similarities/2018/06/09/583b9ddc-6a89-11e8-bea7-c8eb28bc52b1_story.html.

  Trump was restless: Ashley Parker et al., “‘Why Can’t We Just Do It?’: Trump Nearly Upended Summit with Abrupt Changes,” Washington Post, June 14, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/why-cant-we-just-do-it-trump-nearly-upends-summit-with-abrupt-changes/2018/06/14/36e9cb2e-6fe6-11e8-bd50-b80389a4e569_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.74425ec3cf5d.

  The summit was carefully staged: Philip Rucker and Anne Gearan, “‘A Great Honor’: In a Bid for History, Trump Flatters North Korea’s Totalitarian Leader,” Washington Post, June 11, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-great-honor-in-a-bid-for-history-trump-flatters-north-koreas-totalitarian-leader/2018/06/11/22a4411c-6d8e-11e8-bf86-a2351b5ece99_story.html?utm_term=.c1b5a6c9597c.

  Trump’s nearly nine-hour day: Philip Rucker, “‘Getting a Good Picture, Everybody?’: Inside the Trump Production in Singapore,” Washington Post, June 12, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/getting-a-good-picture-everybody-inside-the-trump-production-in-singapore/2018/06/12/27d44bfc-6e4a-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe_story.html.

  “classic traits of the authoritarian leader”: Philip Rucker, “‘Dictator Envy’: Trump’s Praise of Kim Jong Un Widens His Embrace of Totalitarian Leaders,” Washington Post, June 15, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dictator-envy-trumps-praise-of-kim-jong-un-marks-embrace-of-totalitarian-leaders/2018/06/15/b9a8bbc8-70af-11e8-afd5-778aca903bbe_story.html?utm_term=.46df06790611.

  Trump’s courtship and flattery: Karen DeYoung, “John Bolton, Famously Abrasive, Is an Experienced Operator in the ‘Swamp,’” Washington Post, March 23, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/john-bolton-famously-abrasive-is-an-experienced-operator-in-the-swamp/2018/03/23/b9b72000-2eab-11e8-8ad6-fbc50284fce8_story.html.

  In February 2018, just before joining: John Bolton, “The Legal Case for Striking North Korea First,” Wall Street Journal, Feb. 28, 2018, www.wsj.com/articles/the-legal-case-for-striking-north-korea-first-1519862374.

  As Nielsen answered questions: Margaret Sullivan, “A Reporter at the White House Decided to Play the Audio of Children Sobbing. Somebody Had To,” Washington Post, June 19, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-reporter-at-the-white-house-decided-to-play-the-audio-of-children-sobbing-somebody-had-to/2018/06/19/bbb8d814-73aa-11e8-805c-4b67019fcfe4_story.html.

  In addition to the sounds of sniffling: Ginger Thompson, “Listen to Children Who’ve Just Been Separated from Their Parents at the Border,” ProPublica, June 18, 2018, www.propublica.org/article/children-separated-from-parents-border-patrol-cbp-trump-immigration-policy?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=1529351580.

  The indictment, which Rosenstein publicly announced: Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky, “Mueller Probe Indicts 12 Russians with Hacking of Democrats in 2016,” Washington Post, July 13, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/rod-rosenstein-expected-to-announce-new-indictment-by-mueller/2018/07/13/bc565582-86a9-11e8-8553-a3ce89036c78_story.html.

  Earlier, when the CBS anchor: “Trump on Putin Meeting: ‘I Go In with Low Expectations,’” CBS News, July 15, 2018, www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-russia-low-expectations-putin-meeting/.

  “nothing short of treasonous”: John O. Brennan (@John Brennan), Twitter, July 16, 2018, 8:52 a.m., twitter.com/johnbrennan/status/1018885971104985093?lang=en.

  After consulting with Sanders: Ashley Parker et al., “Trump’s Putin Fallout: Inside the White House’s Tumultuous Week of Walk-Backs,” Washington Post, July 20, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-putin-fallout-inside-the-white-houses-tumul
tuous-week-of-walk-backs/2018/07/20/7cfdfc34-8c3d-11e8-8b20-60521f27434e_story.html.

  Bolton sprang into action: Parker et al., “Trump’s Putin Fallout.”

  At this very moment, Coats: “A Look over My Shoulder: The DNI Reflects and Foreshadows,” Aspen Security Forum, July 19, 2018, aspensecurityforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/ASF-2018-A-Look-Over-My-Shoulder-The-DNI-Reflects-and-Foreshadows-3.pdf.

  Chapter Eighteen: The Resistance Within

  On the sidelines of the NATO meetings: Carol D. Leonnig et al., “A Fist Bump, Then a Rancorous Call: How Trump’s Deal to Free an American Pastor in Turkey Fell Apart,” Washington Post, July 26, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-says-us-will-impose-large-sanctions-on-turkey-for-detaining-american-pastor-for-nearly-two-years/2018/07/26/75dcde32-90e5-11e8-bcd5-9d911c784c38_story.html?utm_term=.817c4cf0.

  On July 25, the court convened: Kareem Fahim and Karen DeYoung, “American Pastor Freed from Prison in Turkey but Remains Under House Arrest,” Washington Post, July 25, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/turkish-court-orders-american-pastor-freed-from-prison-and-placed-under-house-arrest/2018/07/25/7b3f9382-900a-11e8-ae59-01880eac5f1d_story.html?utm_term=.409dfb3da338.

  “They want to hold”: Anne Gearan and Felicia Sonmez, “In Trump’s Standoff with Turkey, Two Tough-Guy Leaders and a Deal Gone Wrong,” Washington Post, Aug. 16, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-trumps-standoff-with-turkey-two-tough-guy-leaders-and-a-deal-gone-wrong/2018/08/16/d9b6c728-a162-11e8-8e87-c869fe70a721_story.html?utm_term=.dd2ad3d4526c.

  Earlier in 2018: Ryan Duffy, “McRaven, Castro, Brennan, and Inman Talk Leadership at LBJ School,” Alcalde, Feb. 28, 2018, alcalde.texasexes.org/2018/02/mcraven-castro-brennan-and-inman-talk-leadership-at-lbj-school/.