Fear: Trump in the White House(131)
In a small group meeting in his office: Ibid.
CHAPTER 35
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Cohn knew that was crazy: A leaked copy of Trump’s 2005 tax return showed he had paid $38 million on more than $150 million income for that year—a rate of about 25 percent. View the document at https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/14/us/politics/document-Donald-Trump-2005-Tax.html.
As the tax negotiations intensified: Saleha Mohsin, “Mnuchin Crosses the U.S. Trying to Sell the GOP Tax Plan,” Bloomberg, November 16, 2017.
During the 2012 presidential campaign: Molly Moorhead, “Mitt Romney Says 47 Percent of Americans Pay No Income Tax,” PolitiFact, September 18, 2012.
While most of the 44 percent: Roberton C. Williams, “A Closer Look at Those Who Pay No Income or Payroll Taxes,” Tax Policy Center, July 11, 2016.
Their income was so low: In 2013 the EITC cost the federal Treasury $63 billion, according to PolitiFact. The Child Tax Credit cost $57 billion in 2013 according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
The bill, however, would reduce taxes: Howard Gleckman, “How the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Evolved,” Tax Policy Center, December 28, 2017.
Republican leaders and Trump celebrated: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on Congressional Passage of Tax Reform Legislation,” December 20, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=129018.
CHAPTER 36
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
In a long statement, rather than a tweet: Donald J. Trump, “Statement on Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon,” January 3, 2018. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128962.
Bannon was appalled by: The National Security Strategy may be viewed online at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf.
Most compromising for Trump: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks and a Question and Answer Session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland,” January 26, 2018. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=128980.
The New York Times headline had been: Peter S. Goodman and Keith Bradsher, “Trump Arrived in Davos as a Party Wrecker. He Leaves Praised as a Pragmatist,” The New York Times, January 26, 2018.
“It’s not a mere threat”: Peter Baker and Michael Tackett, “Trump Says His ‘Nuclear Button’ Is ‘Much Bigger’ Than North Korea’s,” The New York Times, January 2, 2018.
Lingering after receiving: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
That evening, Trump sent a taunting: Peter Baker and Michael Tackett, “Trump Says His ‘Nuclear Button’ Is ‘Much Bigger’ Than North Korea’s,” The New York Times, January 2, 2018.
The Washington Post’s Twitter account rushed: View the Post’s tweet at https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/948380549156098052.
Colin Kahl, Obama’s former deputy: View Kahl’s tweet at https://twitter.com/colinkahl/status/948395216213626881.
Others recalled Hillary Clinton’s: Hillary Clinton, “Address Accepting the Presidential Nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” July 28, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=118051.
A writer for the conservative Washington Examiner : Tom Rogan, “Trump’s ‘Nuclear Button’ Tweet About North Korea Was Good,” Washington Examiner, January 3, 2018.
On December 3, before Trump and Kim’s war: “Transcript: Sen. Lindsey Graham on ‘Face the Nation,’?” December 3, 2017.
CHAPTER 37
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
McMaster set up a National Security Council meeting: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
When I first learned of the details: Interview with President Barack H. Obama, July 10, 2010.
CHAPTER 38
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev: “President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev Met President Donald Trump,” U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan, September 21, 2017, https://az.usembassy.gov/president-azerbaijan-ilham-aliyev-met-president-donaldtrump/.
On February 7, 2018, McMaster convened: Author review of contemporaneous notes by a participant.
Early in 2018, 60 Minutes broadcast: “16 Years Later, Afghan Capital Under Siege,” 60 Minutes, CBS, January 11, 2018.
In the last nine days: Pamela Constable, “A String of Deadly Attacks in Afghanistan Exposes Government Weakness, Limits of U.S. Training Effort,” The Washington Post, January 29, 2018.
On Afghanistan, Trump told Porter: In April 2018, in order to win an important vote for Mike Pompeo to become secretary of state, Trump had this to say to Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky. According to Paul, “The president told me over and over again in general we’re getting the hell out of there.”