First published 2019
In late 2015, George Nader orchestrates a clandestine gathering aboard a luxury yacht in the Red Sea. The convicted dealmaker presents Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi with an ambitious proposal. Their scheme envisions a new Arab alliance favoring the United States and Israel while isolating Iran, Qatar, and Turkey. The plan requires an American politician willing to lift Russian sanctions, convincing Vladimir Putin to abandon his Iranian allies. The conspirators identify Donald Trump as their ideal partner, given his extensive financial ties to Saudi, Emirati, and Russian interests. Trump stands alone among 2015 presidential candidates in advocating for Russian sanction relief and Iranian hostility. Seth Abramson weaves together this international web of intrigue, featuring Israeli operatives, Russian oligarchs, Saudi assassination teams, American mercenaries, and Trump's inner circle. The narrative spans from Washington and Moscow to Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Jerusalem, Cairo, Tehran, and Doha, revealing how foreign powers manipulated American democracy through coordinated influence operations.
Genres: international-relations, american, political-science, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: conspiracy
Setting: Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, Qatar, Turkey, Russia, United States, Israel
Period: 2015
592 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin's Press