First published 2020
Michael S. Schmidt chronicles the collision between Donald Trump and the federal officials sworn to serve him. The Pulitzer Prize winner draws on classified FBI documents, White House records, and confidential sources within law enforcement and the West Wing. Schmidt reveals how government insiders found themselves working against their own president, uncertain whether his actions served America, his personal interests, his business empire, or foreign powers. The book captures the struggles of officials who watched Trump demolish established protocols while attempting to consolidate authority. Through extensive reporting and unprecedented access, Schmidt documents the tension between an increasingly bold president and the institutions designed to check presidential power. The account shows how democracy's safeguards faced unprecedented stress during a presidency that challenged constitutional norms. Schmidt offers readers an inside view of the conflicts that defined this administration and exposes the fragility of American democratic systems when tested by executive overreach.
Genres: biography, history, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, political-thriller, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: abuse-of-power, institutional-corruption
Setting: United States, White House
Period: 21st Century
448 pages · Hardcover · Random House