Fear: Trump in the White House

Trump recalled that General Nicholson: MOAB officially stands for Massive Ordnance Air Blast.

Trump left the meeting: Jordan Fabian, “In-Town Pool Report #2—Troop Greeting & Another Comment on Afghan,” 12:51 p.m., July 20, 2017, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/report.php?pid=2357.

A senior White House official who spoke contemporaneously: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.

CHAPTER 28

The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.

McMaster said that at 6:03 a.m.: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/889788202172780544.

In November 2017, he had said: Donald J. Trump, “The President’s News Conference with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan in Tokyo, Japan,” November 6, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128510.

On December 22, the vote was 15 to 0: Rick Gladstone and David E. Sanger, “Security Council Tightens Economic Vise on North Korea, Blocking Fuel, Ships and Workers,” The New York Times, December 22, 2017.

“Reince is a fucking paranoid”: Ryan Lizza, “Anthony Scaramucci Called Me to Unload About White House Leakers, Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon,” The New Yorker, July 27, 2017.

He looked down at the latest: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/891038014314598400.

Kelly said in a statement: Cristiano Lima, “Kelly ‘Honored’ to Serve as White House Chief of Staff,” Politico, July 28, 2017.

CHAPTER 29

The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.

At 1 p.m. on Fox: The spokeswoman’s comments may be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/UshUxz7Lt0w.

At 1:19 p.m. Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/896420822780444672.

Later in the afternoon: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on Signing the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 in Bedminster, New Jersey,” August 12, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128032; and author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.

“Very important for the nation”: Kristine Phillips, “Trump Didn’t Call Out White Supremacists. He Was Rebuked by Members of His Own Party,” The Washington Post, August 13, 2017.

“Mr. President—we must call evil”: Ibid.

“My brother didn’t give his life”: Ibid.

In a statement, Senator John McCain: Ibid.

House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted: Ibid.

Mitt Romney tweeted: Ibid.

Republican senator Lindsey Graham appeared: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, August 13, 2017.

Vice President Pence added: Philip Rucker, “Pence: ‘We Have No Tolerance for . . . White Supremacists, Neo-Nazis or the KKK,” The Washington Post, August 13, 2017.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m.: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on the Situation in Charlottesville, Virginia,” August 14, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128019.

Rob O’Neill, a former Navy SEAL: “Trump Condemns Hate Groups Amid Uproar over Initial Response,” transcript, Fox News, August 14, 2017.

CHAPTER 30

The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.

At the press briefing: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on Infrastructure and an Exchange with Reporters in New York City,” August 15, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=126765.

David Duke, the well-known former Ku Klux Klan leader: View Duke’s tweet at https://twitter.com/drdavidduke/status/897559892164304896.

The leaders of each branch: Ben Watson, “How U.S. Military Leaders Are Reacting to Charlottesville,” Defense One, August 16, 2017.