Fear: Trump in the White House

On CBS, Stephen Colbert joked darkly: Emily Yahr, “ ‘Clinically Insane,’ ‘7th Circle of Hell’: Late-Night Hosts Process Trump’s News Conference,” The Washington Post, August 16, 2017.

Kenneth Frazier, the head of Merck: Nolan D. McCaskill, “Trump Attacks Merck CEO for Quitting Manufacturing Council over Charlottesville,” Politico, August 14, 2017.

Now that Frazier had resigned: Ibid.

Still stewing, in a second Twitter swipe: Ibid.

On Tuesday, August 15, Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/897478270442143744.

Trump preempted further resignations: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/897869174323728385.

On Friday, August 18: Author review of contemporaneous notes.

The next Monday at the White House: Ibid.

Mnuchin had put out a statement: “Statement by U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, August 19, 2017.

Cohn chose to make his views known: “Transcript: Gary Cohn on Tax Reform and Charlottesville,” Financial Times, August 25, 2017.

CHAPTER 31

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

Republican senator Bob Corker: “Republican Senator Says Trump Yet to Demonstrate Needed Stability,” Reuters, August 17, 2017.

And

Politico had run a long piece: Nancy Cook and Josh Dawsey, “ ‘He Is Stubborn and Doesn’t Realize How Bad This Is Getting,’ ” Politico, August 16, 2017.

“President Trump, by asking”: Jeremy W. Peters, Jonathan Martin and Jack Healy, “Trump’s Embrace of Racially Charged Past Puts Republicans in Crisis,” The New York Times, August 16, 2017.

Vice President Mike Pence: View Pence’s tweet at https://twitter.com/vp/status/896471461669605376.

“Off the record,” Trump said: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.

Bannon had just given an interview: Robert Kuttner, “Steve Bannon, Unrepentant,” The American Prospect, August 16, 2017.

A nationally televised Afghanistan strategy speech: Donald J. Trump: “Address to the Nation on United States Strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia from Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia,” August 21, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=126842.

John McCain commented: “McCain on the New Strategy for Afghanistan,” August 21, 2017.

Democratic senator and Clinton running mate: “Kaine: U.S. Must Be ‘Invested’ in Afghanistan,” Talking Points Memo, August 21, 2017.

He addressed the Taliban: Aaron Blake, “Rex Tillerson Totally Undercut Trump’s ‘We Will Win’ Rhetoric on Afghanistan,” The Washington Post, August 22, 2017.

CHAPTER 32

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

Trump had in his hands: Author obtained document.

Trump assembled a group: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.

Trump announced the end: Michael D. Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis, “Trump Moves to End DACA and Calls on Congress to Act,” The New York Times, September 5, 2017.

Two days later he tried to calm: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/905788459301908480.

CHAPTER 33

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

Trump had finally agreed to sign: Donald J. Trump, “Memorandum on Addressing China’s Laws, Policies, Practices, and Actions Related to Intellectual Property, Innovation, and Technology,” August 14, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128023.