First published 2022
Mark Leibovich examines the Republican Party's transformation during the Trump era. The author documents how prominent GOP figures like Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Lindsey Graham initially condemned Trump as a threat to democracy, then became his chief supporters after his electoral victory. Leibovich reveals the moral collapse of a major political party through firsthand reporting. He shows how Trump's bullying tactics and control over the Republican base created a culture of submission among party leaders. Many politicians admitted to Leibovich they were simply "in on the joke" while publicly supporting Trump. The author traces this cynicism from Washington's corridors of power to the January 6 Capitol attack. Leibovich argues that the pursuit of relevance and access drove these political figures to abandon their principles. The book offers readers an inside look at how personal ambition and fear reshaped American politics during a critical period.
Genres: american, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: moral-collapse, pursuit-of-relevance
Setting: Washington, Capitol
Period: Trump Era
352 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press