A Very Stable Genius

by Philip Rucker

  As Tumulty sat: William H. McRaven, “Revoke My Security Clearance, Too, Mr. President,” Washington Post, Aug. 16, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/revoke-my-security-clearance-too-mr-president/2018/08/16/8b149b02-a178-11e8-93e3-24d1703d2a7a_story.html?utm_term=.da3e667e7996.

  Just after four o’clock: Devlin Barrett et al., “Michael Cohen Says He Worked to Silence Two Women ‘in Coordination’ with Trump to Influence 2016 Election,” Washington Post, Aug. 21, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-longtime-lawyer-michael-cohen-is-in-plea-discussions-with-federal-prosecutors-according-to-a-person-familiar-with-the-matter/2018/08/21/5fbd7f34-8510-11e8-8553-a3ce89036c78_story.html?utm_term=.e3fcf13076b1.

  On August 27: David Nakamura, “‘Hellooo . . . Hellooo?’: An Awkward Phone Call Becomes Part of the Trump Spectacle,” Washington Post, Aug. 27, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hellooo--hellooo-an-awkward-phone-call-becomes-part-of-the-trump-spectacle/2018/08/27/9e698d1a-aa16-11e8-8a0c-70b618c98d3c_story.html?utm_term=.e214b40f8dba.

  On September 1: Greg Jaffe and Philip Rucker, “McCain’s Funeral Was a Melancholy Last Hurrah for What’s Been Lost in the Trump Era,” Washington Post, Sept. 1, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mccains-funeral-was-a-melancholy-last-hurrah-for-whats-been-lost-in-trump-era/2018/09/01/156784c6-ad46-11e8-b1da-ff7faa680710_story.html.

  Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner attended: Katie Rogers, “Washington Mourned John McCain. President Trump Played Golf,” New York Times, Sept. 1, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/01/us/politics/trump-john-mccain.html.

  On September 5: Anonymous, “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration,” New York Times, Sept. 5, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/opinion/trump-white-house-anonymous-resistance.html.

  Administration aides were so alarmed: Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker, and Josh Dawsey, “‘The Sleeper Cells Have Awoken’: Trump and Aides Shaken by ‘Resistance’ Op-Ed,” Washington Post, Sept. 5, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-sleeper-cells-have-awoken-trump-and-aides-shaken-by-resistance-op-ed/2018/09/05/ecdf423c-b14b-11e8-a20b-5f4f84429666_story.html.

  Chapter Nineteen: Scare-a-Thon

  By the time he finished: Glenn Kessler, “Anatomy of a Trump Rally: 70 Percent of Claims Are False, Misleading, or Lacking Evidence,” Washington Post, Sept. 12, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/12/anatomy-trump-rally-percent-claims-are-false-misleading-or-lacking-evidence/.

  On September 21: Ivana Hrynkiw, “AG Jeff Sessions Visits Auburn University, Tailgates Ahead of Saturday’s Game,” AL.com, Sept. 22, 2018, www.al.com/news/birmingham/2018/09/ag_jeff_sessions_visits_auburn.html.

  Later that day: Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt, “Rod Rosenstein Suggested Secretly Recording Trump and Discussed 25th Amendment,” New York Times, Sept. 21, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/us/politics/rod-rosenstein-wear-wire-25th-amendment.html?module=inline.

  Then Axios reported: Jonathan Swan, “Rod Rosenstein Offered to Resign,” Axios, Sept. 24, 2018, www.axios.com/rod-rosenstein-resign-justice-department-trump-cf761f4c-fca3-4794-92d4-a56c9e32ff43.html.

  “I think it pleases him”: Ashley Parker and Philip Rucker, “Resign, Fire, or Stay? Rosenstein Is the Latest Contestant in Trump’s Favorite Game,” Washington Post, Sept. 26, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/resign-fire-or-stay-rosenstein-is-the-latest-contestant-in-trumps-favorite-game/2018/09/25/b59c6924-c0f2-11e8-90c9-23f963eea204_story.html.

  Some of Trump’s attorneys: Devlin Barrett et al., “Rod Rosenstein to Stay in Job for Now, Will Meet with Trump on Thursday, White House Says,” Washington Post, Sept. 24, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/rod-rosenstein-who-had-been-overseeing-russia-probe-has-offered-to-resign/2018/09/24/d350477c-aad8-11e8-8a0c-70b618c98d3c_story.html.

  Christine Blasey Ford alleged: Emma Brown, “California Professor, Writer of Confidential Brett Kavanaugh Letter, Speaks Out About Her Allegation of Sexual Assault,” Washington Post, Sept. 16, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/california-professor-writer-of-confidential-brett-kavanaugh-letter-speaks-out-about-her-allegation-of-sexual-assault/2018/09/16/46982194-b846-11e8-94eb-3bd52dfe917b_story.html?utm_term=.e206d29eeaf7.

  “I’ve had a lot of false charges”: Philip Rucker et al., “Defending Kavanaugh, Trump Laments #MeToo as ‘Very Dangerous’ for Powerful Men,” Washington Post, Sept. 26, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/defending-kavanaugh-trump-laments-metoo-as-very-dangerous-for-powerful-men/2018/09/26/e9116536-c1a4-11e8-97a5-ab1e46bb3bc7_story.html.

  The next day: Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, and Philip Rucker, “For Trump and White House, Kavanaugh Hearing Was a Suspenseful Drama in Two Acts,” Washington Post, Sept. 27, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/for-trump-and-white-house-kavanaugh-hearing-was-a-drama-in-two-acts/2018/09/27/6b82f8c8-c276-11e8-a1f0-a4051b6ad114_story.html?utm_term=.171a47be64c2.

  On August 18: Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman, “White House Counsel, Don McGahn, Has Cooperated Extensively in Mueller Inquiry,” New York Times, Aug. 18, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/08/18/us/politics/don-mcgahn-mueller-investigation.html.

  At a cabinet meeting: Josh Dawsey and Nick Miroff, “Trump Unloads on Homeland Security Secretary in Lengthy Immigration Tirade,” Washington Post, May 10, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-unloads-on-homeland-security-secretary-in-lengthy-immigration-tirade/2018/05/10/f0ded152-54a0-11e8-9c91-7dab596e8252_story.html?utm_term=.cdd691914581.

  In late October: Paul Sonne and Missy Ryan, “Trump Says He May Send 15,000 Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border,” Washington Post, Oct. 31, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ahead-of-midterm-elections-trump-says-he-may-send-15000-troops-to-us-mexico-border/2018/10/31/9e7740ec-dd4a-11e8-aa33-53bad9a881e8_story.html?utm_term=.f5bd0c483703.

  The move immediately inspired: Aaron Blake, “Mattis Vouched for Trump’s Decision to Send Troops to the Border. Trump Seems Bent on Making Him Regret It,” Washington Post, Nov. 2, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/11/02/trump-is-doing-his-best-make-fool-jim-mattis/?utm_term=.89c4f7679128.

  Trump sought to frighten: Philip Rucker, “‘Full Trumpism’: The President’s Apocalyptic Attacks Reach a New Level of Falsity,” Washington Post, Nov. 4, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/full-trumpism-the-presidents-apocalyptic-attacks-reach-a-new-level-of-falsity/2018/11/04/8e4fb87e-e043-11e8-b759-3d88a5ce9e19_story.html.

  Chapter Twenty: An Ornery Diplomat

  It did not work: Josh Dawsey and Philip Rucker, “Five Days of Fury: Inside Trump’s Paris Temper, Election Woes, and Staff Upheaval,” Washington Post, Nov. 13, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/five-days-of-fury-inside-trumps-paris-temper-election-woes-and-staff-upheaval/2018/11/13/e90b7cba-e69e-11e8-a939-9469f1166f9d_story.html?utm_term=.9e2d15ddad5b.

  The president was so churlish: Ben Riley-Smith, “‘Trump the Grump’: Moody US President Challenged Theresa May over Brexit During Phone Call,” Telegraph, Nov. 14, 2018, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/14/donald-trump-berated-theresa-may-air-force-one-phone-call/.

  Nicholas Soames, a grandson: Nicholas Soames (@NSoames), Twitter, Nov. 10, 2018, 6:51 a.m., twitter.com/NSoames/status/1061270124404113408.

  On November 11: David Nakamura, Seung Min Kim, and James McAuley, “Macron Denounces Nationalism as a ‘Betrayal of Patriotism’ in Rebuke to Trump at WWI Remembrance,” Washington Post, Nov. 11, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/to-mark-end-of-world-war-i-frances-macron-denounces-nationalism-as-a-betrayal-of-patriotism/2018/11/11/aab65aa4-e1ec-11e8-ba30-a7ded04d8fac_story.html?utm_term=.f7ed6b6c15f5.

  Speaking French, Macron delivered: “Emmanuel Macron’s Speech at Commemoration of the Centenary of the Armistice,” Nov. 11, 2018, onu.delegfrance.org/Emmanuel-Macron-s-speech-at-Commemoration-of-the-centenary-of-the-Armistice.

  On November 16: Shane Harris, Greg Miller, and Josh Dawsey, “CIA Concludes Saudi Crown Prince Ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s Assassination,” Washington Post, Nov. 16, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/cia-concludes-saudi-crown-pri
nce-ordered-jamal-khashoggis-assassination/2018/11/16/98c89fe6-e9b2-11e8-a939-9469f1166f9d_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4097ecac0008.

  Corsi was a longtime Clinton critic: Carol D. Leonnig et al., “Mueller Seeks Roger Stone’s Testimony to House Intelligence Panel, Suggesting Special Counsel Is near End of Probe of Trump Adviser,” Washington Post, Dec. 19, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mueller-seeks-roger-stones-testimony-to-house-intelligence-panel-suggesting-special-counsel-is-near-end-of-probe-of-trump-adviser/2018/12/19/ac5c3ee6-0226-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html?utm_term=.ab1560413c06.

  An email from August 2: Rosalind Helderman, Manuel Roig-Franzia, and Carol D. Leonnig, “Conservative Author and Stone Associate Jerome Corsi Said He Expects to Be Indicted by Special Counsel for Allegedly Lying,” Washington Post, Nov. 12, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/conservative-author-and-stone-associate-jerome-corsi-said-special-prosecutors-plan-to-indict-him-for-allegedly-lying/2018/11/12/773e6722-e6c7-11e8-a939-9469f1166f9d_story.html?utm_term=.945366b72865.

  The agreement said Corsi understood: “Draft Jerome Corsi Statement of Offense,” Washington Post, apps.washingtonpost.com/g/documents/politics/draft-jerome-corsi-statement-of-offense/3324/.

  The second event happened: Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky, “Julian Assange Has Been Charged, Prosecutors Reveal Inadvertently in Court Filing,” Washington Post, Nov. 15, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/julian-assange-has-been-charged-prosecutors-reveal-in-inadvertent-court-filing/2018/11/15/9902e6ba-98bd-48df-b447-3e2a4638f05a_story.html?utm_term=.6b2ea45e42a5.

  “would need to remain sealed”: Charlie Savage, Adam Goldman, and Michael S. Schmidt, “Assange Is Secretly Charged in U.S., Prosecutors Mistakenly Reveal,” New York Times, Nov. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/us/politics/julian-assange-indictment-wikileaks.html.

  But on November 20: Carol D. Leonnig and Robert Costa, “Trump Submits Answers to Special Counsel Questions About Russian Interference,” Washington Post, Nov. 20, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-submits-answers-to-special-counsel-questions-about-russian-interference/2018/11/20/3b5a18d4-ed0f-11e8-baac-2a674e91502b_story.html?utm_term=.ff71fff698ae.

  Regarding the infamous June 2016: David A. Fahrenthold, “‘I Have No Recollection’: Trump Turned to Familiar Refrain in Response to Mueller Questions,” Washington Post, April 19, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/i-have-no-recollection-trump-turned-to-familiar-refrain-in-response-to-mueller-questions/2019/04/19/7230817c-62bc-11e9-9ff2-abc984dc9eec_story.html?utm_term=.1adeca216183.

  Trump said in his answers: Jim Sciutto, Carl Bernstein, and Marshall Cohen, “Cohen Claims Trump Knew in Advance of 2016 Trump Tower Meeting,” CNN, July 27, 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/07/26/politics/michael-cohen-donald-trump-june-2016-meeting-knowledge/index.html.

  Chapter Twenty-one: Gut over Brains

  At the wedding reception: Jacquie Kubin, “The Story Behind AG Barr, His Bagpipes, and the NYPD Pipes and Drums,” Communities Digital News, June 27, 2019, www.commdiginews.com/politics-2/willam-barr-plays-the-bagpipes-with-nypd-pipes-and-drums-120463/.

  By leaving, Ayers: Maggie Haberman, “Nick Ayers, Aide to Pence, Declines Offer to Be Trump’s Chief of Staff,” New York Times, Dec. 9, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/12/09/us/politics/nick-ayers-trump-chief-of-staff.html.

  Trump, who for days: Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey, and Robert Costa, “‘There Was No Plan B’: Trump Scrambles to Find Chief of Staff After Top Candidate Turns Him Down,” Washington Post, Dec. 10, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/there-was-no-plan-b-trump-scrambles-to-find-chief-of-staff-after-top-candidate-turns-him-down/2018/12/10/9b6d0424-fc9c-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html.

  As the Democrats arrived in the Oval: Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey, and Robert Costa, “‘This Has Spiraled Downward’: Democrats Introduce Trump to Divided Government,” Washington Post, Dec. 11, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/this-has-spiraled-downward-democrats-introduce-trump-to-divided-government/2018/12/11/f832b92e-fd6e-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html?utm_term=.ee2306da300a.

  Kushner helped orchestrate: Annie Karni, “The Senate Passed the Criminal Justice Bill. For Jared Kushner, It’s a Personal Issue and a Rare Victory,” New York Times, Dec. 14, 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/12/14/us/politics/jared-kushner-criminal-justice-bill.html.

  He had even invited: Helena Andrews-Dyer, “Here’s What Happened at Kanye West’s Incredibly Bizarre Meeting with Donald Trump,” Washington Post, Oct. 11, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2018/10/11/that-was-quite-something-kanye-wests-meeting-with-president-trump-covers-everything-from-mental-health-to-male-energy/.

  Christie saw a breaking news headline: Jonathan Swan, “Trump Meets with Chris Christie to Discuss Chief of Staff Role,” Axios, Dec. 13, 2018, www.axios.com/trump-met-with-chris-christie-to-discuss-chief-of-staff-role-684f9465-a6ea-4a80-9df3-2d91ba67cf35.html.

  “We have obviously learned”: Kyle Rempfer, “Troops to Immediately Withdraw from Syria as Trump Declares Victory over ISIS,” Army Times, Dec. 19, 2018, www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/12/19/troops-may-immediately-withdrawal-from-syria-as-trump-declares-victory-over-isis/.

  McGurk was stunned: Annalisa Merelli, “Another Leader in the US Fight Against ISIS Resigned to Protest Trump’s Syria Decision,” Quartz, Dec. 22, 2018, qz.com/1505835/top-syria-envoy-brian-mcgurk-resigned/.

  In the most active years: Liz Sly and Louisa Loveluck, “The ‘Caliphate’ Is No More. But the Islamic State Isn’t Finished Yet,” Washington Post, March 23, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/world/the-islamic-states-caliphate-has-been-defeated-us-backed-forces-say/2019/03/23/04263d74-36f8-11e9-8375-e3dcf6b68558_story.html.

  Chapter Twenty-two: Axis of Enablers

  As he celebrated the agreement: Erica Werner, Damian Paletta, and Seung Min Kim, “Trump Backs Off Demand for $5 Billion for Border Wall, but Budget Impasse Remains Ahead of Shutdown Deadline,” Washington Post, Dec. 18, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-signals-its-backing-down-in-shutdown-dispute-will-find-other-ways-to-fund-border-wall/2018/12/18/159994dc-02d9-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html?utm_term=.9472e6deb7d0.

  Congressman Mark Meadows: Philip Rucker, Robert Costa, and Josh Dawsey, “‘A Tailspin’: Under Siege, Trump Propels the Government and Markets into Crisis,” Washington Post, Dec. 20, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-tailspin-under-siege-trump-propels-the-government-and-markets-into-crisis/2018/12/20/e30347e0-046b-11e9-b6a9-0aa5c2fcc9e4_story.html?utm_term=.961668fb2900.

  At the end of December 21: Erica Werner, Damian Paletta, and John Wagner, “Major Parts of the Federal Government Begin Shutting Down for an Indefinite Closure,” Washington Post, Dec. 21, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-leans-on-mcconnell-to-pass-spending-bill-with-border-funding-in-senate/2018/12/21/31bb453a-0517-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html.

  “Do we succumb”: Andrew Blake, “Donald Trump Succumbed to ‘Tyranny of Radio Hosts’ over Government Shutdown: GOP Senator,” Washington Times, Dec. 22, 2018, www.apnews.com/0ca586c8ad6c3f7f73a0cfa33e74be39.

  In the weeks that followed: Anne Gearan, Josh Dawsey, and John Hudson, “‘They Screwed This Whole Thing Up’: Inside the Attempt to Derail Trump’s Erratic Syria Withdrawal,” Washington Post, Jan. 13, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/they-screwed-the-whole-thing-up-inside-the-attempt-to-derail-trumps-erratic-syria-withdrawal/2019/01/13/0ae1149c-1365-11e9-803c-4ef28312c8b9_story.html?utm_term=.a1dcbf520820.

  The night of Christmas Eve: Eric Levenson, “Trump Asks 7-Year-Old, ‘Are You Still a Believer in Santa?,’” CNN, Dec. 26, 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/12/25/politics/trump-santa-phone-call/index.html.

  “Because at 7”: Hannah Alani, “Do a ‘Marginal’ Number of 7-Year-Olds Believe in Santa? That’s What Trump Told a SC Girl,” Post and Courier, Dec. 25, 2018, www.postandcourier.com/news/do-a-marginal-number-of--year-olds-believe-in/article_2c86d3ec-0876-11e9-a470-87234a04ef7e.html.

  Trump also jeopardized: Paul Sonne and Philip Rucker, “Trump’s Visit to Iraq Prompts Concerns About Poli
ticization of Military,” Washington Post, Dec. 27, 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trumps-visit-to-iraq-prompts-concerns-about-politicization-of-military/2018/12/27/42aa20fe-0a13-11e9-892d-3373d7422f60_story.html?utm_term=.15f6c712a1df.

  “You just fucked it all up”: Jonathan Swan, “Scoop: Trump Dressed Down Mulvaney in Front of Congressional Leaders,” Axios, Jan. 13, 2019, www.axios.com/donald-trump-mick-mulvaney-government-shutdown-meeting-7d84ea72-5aaf-45e0-a707-5f955836070e.html.

  By the beginning of January: Carol D. Leonnig, “A Beefed-Up White House Legal Team Prepares Aggressive Defense of Trump’s Executive Privilege as Investigations Loom Large,” Washington Post, Jan. 9, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-beefed-up-white-house-legal-team-prepares-aggressive-defense-of-trumps-executive-privilege-as-investigations-loom-large/2019/01/09/066b8618-1045-11e9-84fc-d58c33d6c8c7_story.html.

  On January 23: Josh Dawsey, “Giuliani’s Missteps Frustrate Trump but Underscore the Unique Role He Plays for the President,” Washington Post, Jan. 23, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/giulianis-missteps-frustrate-trump-but-underscore-the-unique-role-he-plays-for-the-president/2019/01/23/447ec0a4-1f23-11e9-bda9-d6efefc397e8_story.html?utm_term=.9250633bd190.

  “not being able to make a hamburger”: Philip Rucker and Josh Dawsey, “Trump Two Years in: The Dealmaker Who Can’t Seem to Make a Deal,” Washington Post, January 20, 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-two-years-in-the-dealmaker-who-cant-seem-to-make-a-deal/2019/01/20/ecdede96-1bf9-11e9-88fe-f9f77a3bcb6c_story.html.

  On February 15: Damian Paletta, Mike DeBonis, and John Wagner, “Trump Declares National Emergency on Southern Border in Bid to Build Wall,” Washington Post, Feb. 15, 2019, www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-border-emergency-the-president-plans-a-10-am-announcement-in-the-rose-garden/2019/02/15/f0310e62-3110-11e9-86ab-5d02109aeb01_story.html?utm_term=.516e628ecdb8.