The book, as its title states, is in turns a warning to American citizens against re-electing Trump in the 2020 election, a dire depiction of a president unfit for office and the chronicle of a White House marked by chaos and disarray. (A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
The author has still remained unidentified despite demands from the Justice Department for the book’s publisher to release his or her identity. The author, described on the cover as a “senior Trump administration official,” said the motivation for writing the book was not financial, adding that any royalties will be donated to nonprofit organizations with a focus on “government accountability,” like the White House Correspondents’ Association.
At times, Anonymous writes specifically to the GOP as a fellow Republican and appeals to historical documents like the Federalist Papers and Cicero’s “De Officiis” to illuminate how Trump is “unfit for the job” as president. Other times, the official warns Democrats that they should “show wisdom and restraint in selecting your party’s nominee.”
As for readers who seek to identify the author? “If asked, I will strenuously deny I am the author of this book, including when the president demands we each disavow it,” Anonymous wrote. “Anyone whose sole purpose in reading this book is to uncover names, including my own, will find they are wasting their time.”
Here are 10 highlights from “A Warning.”
1. During the president’s briefings, aides were told to reduce information down to PowerPoints with a single bullet point
Early in Trump’s presidency, the author said that Oval Office briefers were first told not to bring “lengthy documents” or “summaries” and, if they had to bring paper to their meeting with Trump, to use PowerPoint slides. But that soon proved to be too much information for the president, who “couldn’t digest too many slides.” Briefers were then told to keep things to a maximum of three bullet points, even for complicated issues, like “military readiness or the federal budget.” And when the president still struggled to comprehend the three bullet points, briefers were advised to keep their meetings with Trump down to just a single bullet point.
“Come in with one main point and repeat it — over and over again, even if the president inevitably goes off on tangents — until he gets it. Just keep steering the subject back to it. ONE point,” the author wrote of the advice West Wing aides gave briefers. “Because you cannot focus the commander in chief’s attention on more than one goddamned thing over the course of a meeting, okay?”
For those who ignored this advice and came in prepared to have “robust policy discussions on momentous national topics,” the official wrote, “they invariably paid the price.”
“‘What the f— is this?’ the president would shout, looking at a document one of them handed him. ‘These are just words. A bunch of words. It doesn’t mean anything.’ Sometimes he would throw the papers back on the table. He definitely wouldn’t read them,” the official recalled.
2. Trump still does not understand how the executive branch works
“He tells the secretary of defense to do things that are the responsibility of the secretary of state. He tells the attorney general to do things that are the job of the director of National Intelligence. Sometimes he tells his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to do all their jobs at once, including reimagining care for America’s veterans, negotiating Middle East peace, spearheading criminal justice reform, and undertaking delicate conversations with foreign allies,” the official wrote.
3. Trump once said he’d be the hero of a school shooting, even if he didn’t have a weapon
In February 2018 — just after the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people — the president suggested that school gun violence could be ended by arming teachers weapons so that they could fight back against mass shooters.
“It was time for all of us to reenact the daily face-palm ritual,” the anonymous official wrote. “Fortunately, the idea was dropped because no one else took it seriously, much like the president’s claim that he would be the citizen-hero if he was on the scene of a school massacre. ‘I really believe I’d run in there, even if I didn’t have a weapon,’ he claimed. We couldn’t contain our laughter.”
4. Trump wanted to label migrants as “enemy combatants” so that the administration “had an excuse to keep them out of the country”
“Almost anything, any issue, and problem can be tied back to immigration in [Trump’s] mind. At one point, Trump warmed to a new idea for solving what he viewed as the biggest crisis in American history: to label migrants as ‘enemy combatants.’ Keep in mind this is the same designation given to hardcore terrorist suspects,” the official wrote.
“If we said these illegals were a national security threat, Trump reasoned, then the administration had an excuse to keep all of them out of the country,” the author continued. “It was unclear if someone had planted this in his head or whether he had come up with it on his own, but either way, advisors were mortified.”
5. Trump regularly brings ideas from Fox Business host Lou Dobbs to the Oval Office
“One of his favorite sources for news analysis is Lou Dobbs, a once-respected Fox host whose late-night show is now riddled with conspiracy theories and wild speculations about current events,” Anonymous wrote. “We know this because he regularly brings Lou’s ideas into the Oval Office the next morning, demanding they be implemented the way Lou said they should be. I can’t think of another elected official who is so easily lured in by obvious carnival barkers.”
6. Trump aides would deliberately disclose false information in meetings to see what was leaked to the press
The author said that paranoia and skepticism in the White House is rampant enough that aides will try to figure out who potential leakers and “traitors” are during sensitive meetings.
“Sometimes Trump aides deliberately disclose false information in meetings to see if it ends up in the press so they can root out suspected traitors. (The people who do this are the ones you’d expect, and I’ve seen them hypocritically leak to the press to promote themselves, despite running their own anti-leak operations),” the official wrote. “What this means is that Trump is limiting information he hears from within his own government to more inexperienced political types who tend to agree with him in the first place and who he perceives are personally loyal.”
7. The president wanted to reduce the number of federal judges
The anonymous administration official recalled a time when Trump made a “wacky” request to reduce the number of federal judges because too many of his policies were being hindered by them. “I’ve only won two cases in the courts as president. And you know what one of them was? A case against a stripper,” the president said, according to the book.
“Can we just get rid of the judges? Let’s get rid of the f—ing judges,” Trump said at one point, according to the official, further asking his legal team to draft a bill for Congress to reduce the number of federal judges.
8. An unnamed foreign leader once implored aides to get Trump to stop tweeting
The author said an unnamed foreign leader once implored Trump’s aides to “get him off Twitter.”
“His country had been in the crosshairs of a recent Trump missive, and he argued that he couldn’t be seen by his people working with the United States if the president was going to blast them all the time,” the official wrote. “We agreed, but assured him it was a lost cause. Trump’s social media addiction was unmanageable.”
9. A former top FBI official said Trump rejected U.S. intelligence information because Russian President Vladimir Putin had told him something different
According to the book, Trump ignored information from a top FBI official regarding a “rogue country’s missile capability” because of contradictory information that came from Putin. “He said the Russian president had given him different information, so it didn’t matter what U.S. spy agencies said,” the author wrote. “‘I don’t care. I believe Putin,’ the [FBI] official quoted him as saying.”
10. Anonymous on the “Deep State”
In the author’s Times op-ed, the anonymous official wrote about a “resistance” within the Trump administration consisting of high-level appointees seeking to keep Trump in check. “This isn’t the work of the so-called deep state. It’s the work of the steady state,” the official wrote in the op-ed.
But more than a year later, the anonymous official said there are limits to what can be achieved by “quiet resistance.” “Unelected bureaucrats and cabinet appointees were never going to steer Donald Trump the right direction in the long run, or refine his malignant management style. He is who he is. Americans should not take comfort in knowing whether there are so-called adults in the room. We are not bulwarks against the president and shouldn’t be counted upon to keep him in check,” the official wrote. “That is not our job. That is the job of the voters and their elected representatives.”
“I believe firmly that whatever benefits we may have gained from individual Trump policies are vastly outweighed by the incalculable damage he has done to the fabric of our republic,” the author wrote toward the end of the book. “I cannot overstate the consequences of reelecting Donald Trump.”
2020 Presidential Contenders: Who's Still Challenging Donald Trump and Who's Dropped Out (Photos)
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Joe Biden – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 25, 2019
The former Obama VP was a late entry to the race, formally declaring his run for the presidency on April 25. But he's long been a presumed frontrunner, leading many early polls. This is his third presidential run, and for months he's been telling anyone who'll listen that he'd be the most qualified candidate for the job. He's also already been under scrutiny over criticism about his behavior with women, prompting him to post a video promising he'd be "more mindful and respectful" of a woman's "personal space."
The Massachusetts Senator formally announced her candidacy on Feb. 9 at a rally in her home state, and shortly after followed up with a tweet that read: "I believe in an America of opportunity. My daddy ended up as a janitor, but his little girl got the chance to be a public school teacher, a college professor, a United States Senator – and a candidate for President of the United States. #Warren2020." But on March 5, 2020, following a disappointing Super Tuesday performance, Warren officially ended her bid for the presidency.
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Bernie Sanders – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 19, 2019
Dropped Out: April 8, 2020
Bernie Sanders, the runner-up in the 2016 contest for the Democratic nomination, had a momentous campaign for the presidency with policies championing economic equality and rhetoric advocating for a political revolution that drew him scores of dedicated supporters. But as the Democratic primary elections arrived, his campaign's disappointing performance widened the gap toward the nomination between the Vermont senator and his main competitor, Joe Biden. In early April, Sanders officially suspended his campaign for the presidency.
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Pete Buttigieg – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 14, 2019
Dropped Out: March 1, 2020
The 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana became the first openly gay presidential nominee from a major political party. Buttigieg came away with the most delegates from the Iowa Caucuses but couldn't keep his momentum going in the other early state primaries.
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Michael Bloomberg - Democratic Party
Entered Race: Nov. 24, 2019
Dropped Out: March 4, 2020
The former mayor of New York is the second billionaire to enter the crowded Democratic field with just one year until the election, using his considerable personal wealth to fund his ad campaign. He dropped out after a poor showing on Super Tuesday.
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Amy Klobuchar – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 10, 2019
Dropped Out: March 2, 2020
The Minnesota Democrat, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, announced her bid on Feb. 10, 2019, saying that she wanted to work for "everyone who wanted their work recognized." Klobuchar's key issues she wants to tackle if elected president include revising voting rights protections and prioritizing cybersecurity.
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Tulsi Gabbard – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 11, 2019
Dropped Out: March 19, 2020
Gabbard, a U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016, but in 2020 she's all-in on herself. Gabbard is running on immigration and criminal justice reform.
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Tom Steyer – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 9, 2019
Dropped Out: Feb. 29, 2020
The billionaire and climate change activist entered the race in July, saying in a video "if you think that there's something absolutely critical, try as hard as you can and let the chips fall where they may. And that's exactly what I'm doing. My name's Tom Steyer, and I'm running for president."
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Bill Weld – Republican Party
Entered Race: April 15, 2019
Weld is a former Governor of Massachusetts who has been on the record about his displeasure of Trump, specifically Trump's desire to be more of a "king than a president."
The former governor of Massachusetts acknowledged the challenge of jumping into the Democratic primary so late in the game. But in his announcement he took a veiled swipe at other candidates, saying the party was torn between "nostalgia" and "our big idea or no way.” He dropped out after the New Hampshire primary, failing to secure a single delegate.
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Michael Bennet – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 2, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 11, 2020
The Colorado senator has been a vocal supporter on advancing the field of artificial intelligence and expanding the Child Tax Credit. He dropped out on the day of the New Hampshire primary.
The entrepreneur and son of immigrant parents from Taiwan became a contender a year ago, telling The New York Times that he will advocate for a universal basic income. But he failed to gain traction and dropped out the day of the New Hampshire primary.
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Joe Walsh – Republican Party
Entered Race: Aug. 25, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 7, 2020
The former congressman from Illinois turned conservative talk show host announced in August 2019 that he would enter the GOP primaries to challenge President Trump. "I'm running because he's unfit; somebody needs to step up and there needs to be an alternative. The country is sick of this guy's tantrum -- he's a child," he told ABC News.
The New Jersey senator and former mayor of Newark formally tossed his name into the presidential hat on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month. Booker ran on a platform of ending mass incarceration if he were to be elected president. His absence in the race ahead of the caucuses made the remaining Democratic field significantly less diverse.
The "Healing the Soul of America" author and founder of Project Angel Food announced her candidacy during a political rally at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles on Jan. 28. Williamson ran on a platform of reparations and "economic justice for women and children."
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Julián Castro – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 12, 2019
Dropped Out: Jan. 2, 2020
The former mayor of San Antonio -- and former Obama cabinet member -- supports immigration reform and eliminating lead poisoning. Castro was the only Latino candidate in the running, and he said in a video released by his campaign that he's "not done fighting."
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Kamala Harris – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 21, 2019
Dropped Out: December 3, 2019
The California senator announced her bid for the presidency on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 21, while appearing on ABC’s "Good Morning America." As a possible indication of her chances, her January CNN town hall was the network's highest rated single presidential candidate town hall ever. Harris is pro Medicare-for-all and raising teacher pay.
Harris came out of the gate strong with a solid showing at the first debate, but failed to carry that momentum. Reports of staff mismanagement and fundraising challenges led to her to suspend her candidacy in early December.
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Beto O'Rourke – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 14, 2019
Dropped Out: November 1, 2019
The former congressman from El Paso, Texas, announced he is running for president on March 14, saying: "This is a defining moment of truth for this country and for every single one of us," and that the challenges have never been greater. "They will either consume us, or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America," he added. O'Rourke has already made a name for himself as a record-breaking fundraiser, the subject of an HBO documentary and a favorite among Hollywood elite. He dropped out Nov 1., tweeting, "I am announcing that my service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee."
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Mark Sanford – Republican Party
Entered Race: Sept. 8, 2019
Dropped Out: Nov. 12, 2019
The former governor of South Carolina -- who resigned in disgrace in 2007 after lying about an extramarital affair -- announced his challenge to Trump, saying, "We have lost our way." Sanford, who was also a U.S. congressman from 1995 to 2001 and 2013 to 2019, pledged to tackle the nation's ballooning national debt and reverse Trump's policies on trade protectionism. He dropped out in November saying the issues on his platform were overshadowed by the ongoing impeachment process.
The senator from New York announced her bid Tuesday, Jan. 15 on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Gillibrand, whose campaign slogan is "Brave Wins," supported paid family leave and protecting women's rights.
On August 28, 2019, she announced her withdrawal. "To our supporters: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Now, let's go beat Donald Trump and win back the Senate," she tweeted.
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Seth Moulton – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 22, 2019 Dropped Out: August 23, 2019
The Massachusetts congressman and Iraq War veteran ended his campaign for president in a speech to the DNC in San Fransisco. “I think it’s evident that this is now a three-way race between Biden, Warren and Sanders, and really it’s a debate about how far left the party should go,” Mr. Moulton told the New York Times.
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John Hickenlooper
Entered Race: March 4, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 15, 2019
The former Colorado governor supported stricter gun control laws and free trade.
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Howard Schultz – Independent
Dropped Out: Sept. 6, 2019
In January the former Starbucks CEO expressed initial interest in running. In August, Schultz reportedly suspended his campaigning until after Labor Day, citing medical issues. In September, Schultz cited those issues and more in a letter on his website as reasons he had to take himself out of the running.
"My belief in the need to reform our two-party system has not wavered, but I have concluded that an independent campaign for the White House is not how I can best serve our country at this time," he wrote.
Schultz is a co-founder of the venture capital firm Maveron, which is an investor in TheWrap.
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Eric Swalwell
Entered Race: April 8, 2019 Dropped Out: July 8, 2019
The California congressman wrote in a statement on his campaign's website about his decision to bow out of the 2020 presidential race, "I’ll never forget the people I met and lessons I learned while travelling [sic] around our great nation – especially in the communities most affected by gun violence."
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Jay Inslee – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 1, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 21, 2019
The Governor of Washington ran on a platform focused on climate change, proposing a "100% Clean Energy for America Plan" that would see emissions drop to zero by 2035.
He announced he was dropping out of the race during an appearance on "The Rachel Maddow Show."
"It's become clear that I'm not going to be carrying the ball," Inslee told Maddow. "I'm not going to be the President, I'm withdrawing tonight from the race."
Inslee added that he's optimistic that climate change will be a major part of the Democratic party's priorities.
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Wayne Messam – Democratic Candidate
Entered Race: March 28, 2019 Dropped Out: Nov. 20, 2019
The mayor of Miramar, Florida, a city near Miami, is a first-generation American who has called for end the filibuster and erasing student debt. He only raised $5 -- five -- during the quarter that ended Sep. 30, and dropped out less than two months later.
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Bill De Blasio – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 16, 2019
Dropped Out: Sept. 20, 2019
The New York City mayor was looking for more taxes for the wealthy and regulating "gig jobs" under his proposed Universal Labor Standards.
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Steve Bullock – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 14, 2019
Dropped Out: Dec. 2, 2019
The Montana governor said in a statement, "While there were many obstacles we could not have anticipated when entering this race, it has become clear that in this moment, I won’t be able to break through to the top tier of this still-crowded field of candidates."
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John Delaney – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 28, 2017 Dropped Out: Jan. 31, 2020
The U.S. Representative for Maryland's 6th district declared back in July 2017. He said he'll "end reckless trade wars and expand trade," "create a universal health care system" and "launch a national AI strategy." But he dropped out before the Iowa caucuses.
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Joe Sestak – Democratic Party
Entered Race: June 23, 2019 Dropped Out: Dec. 1, 2019
The former Pennsylvania Congressman had a plan for America that includes investing in American manufacturing and strengthening antitrust laws. But short of funds and media attention, he dropped out.
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Bernie Sanders is the latest to end the race for the Oval Office
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.