Crippled America
| Company type | Non-fiction book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder | Donald Trump |
| Products | Political book |
| Parent | Simon & Schuster |
Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again is a nonfiction title authored by Donald Trump, initially released in hardcover format by Simon & Schuster in 2015. A revised version appeared eight months later in trade paperback under the name Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America. Similar to his earlier work Time to Get Tough (2011), which backed the 2012 election, Crippled America presents Trump's conservative political platform for the 2016 election.
In the book, Trump asserts his capability to lead the nation effectively, reassuring Republicans of his adherence to conservative principles. He critiques media portrayals while defending choices made during his campaign. The narrative stresses America's need to begin "winning again," spotlighting Trump's business background and outsider perspective as strengths in negotiation and governance. Policy proposals include enhanced border enforcement, dismantling the Affordable Care Act, and tackling challenges posed by China's role in free trade.
Upon release, the book entered The New York Times Best Seller list at number five. NPR characterized it as a typical campaign publication that outlines Trump's agenda broadly. Meanwhile, On the Issues commended it for countering perceptions that Trump lacks detailed policy positions. Conversely, The New York Times journalist Michiko Kakutani criticized Trump's self-promotion and bleak vision of America's future. CNN's Jeremy Diamond remarked on the straightforward writing style consistent with Trump's usual manner.
Contents summary
Within Crippled America, Donald Trump discusses what he views as America's decline over the last twenty years, attributing this downturn to long-term politicians, special interest groups, and lobbyists. He targets President Barack Obama for criticism and alleges biased media coverage, singling out journalists such as Megyn Kelly, while also recognizing that his blunt approach has generated significant publicity. Trump affirms his conservative credentials to Republican readers, explaining his party switch was motivated by concerns over liberal Democrats' influence on the nation. The book details his proposed domestic and international policies if elected.[1]
On domestic issues, Trump focuses on immigration reform, healthcare overhaul, economic growth, education reform, social welfare programs, and energy policy. He advocates for stronger border protection to reduce illegal immigration, including constructing an extensive barrier along the Mexico–United States border, and cutting funding to sanctuary cities. He opposes the Affordable Care Act, favoring its replacement with a market-driven healthcare model.[2] Trump calls for substantial investment in U.S. infrastructure to boost economic expansion, forecasting 13 million new jobs and an economic revival comparable to the New Deal. He suggests abolishing the United States Department of Education, promoting competition among schools, and devolving education authority back to states. Trump expresses support for Social Security, voices skepticism about alternative energy sources, and questions human influence on climate change.[3][2]
Regarding foreign affairs, Trump identifies China as an adversary in trade matters, accusing it of manipulating its currency and engaging in corporate espionage. He stresses the necessity for strong leadership in trade negotiations while acknowledging mutual economic ties between the U.S. and China. The book also addresses Trump's perspectives on the Syrian refugee situation, conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as strategies to combat ISIL.[2]
Interweaving political viewpoints with personal stories, Trump reflects on his experiences as a father and husband, taking responsibility for his previous marital failures. He credits his father, Fred Trump, with influencing his business skills. An "About the author" section outlines Trump's financial holdings and real estate ventures. Throughout, Trump portrays his business achievements as a blueprint for national leadership, arguing that his private-sector expertise and negotiation abilities would translate successfully into governance and international diplomacy.[4][2]
Composition and publication
Crippled America served as a promotional platform for Trump to present his conservative ideology during the 2016 U.S. presidential race. Prior to this release, Trump authored two political books: The America We Deserve (2000), linked to his 2000 campaign, and Time to Get Tough (2011), associated with the 2012 campaign. The purpose of this book was to solidify Trump's political credibility and convince Republicans of his conservative bona fides.
While no ghostwriter received official credit, Trump collaborated with the prolific writer David Fisher. Their partnership was reportedly informal, relying heavily on phone conversations and extracts from Trump's campaign speeches. Fisher later remarked that Trump placed greater emphasis on the book’s visual elements than its written content.
Trump explained that the book’s somber title was influenced by a “mean” cover image, stating: "We're going to call it, 'Crippled America.' Because that's what it is." In contrast, the introduction implies that the title guided the choice of the cover photo. During various promotional events, Trump concentrated primarily on discussing the book’s cover rather than its detailed content.
Released in hardcover format by Simon & Schuster in 2015, Crippled America was also made available as an ebook and an audiobook narrated by Jeremy Lowell. Amid the 2016 campaign, a trade paperback edition titled Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America was issued, featuring a new foreword and a more hopeful cover image. The book has been translated into several languages, including Danish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Vietnamese.
Sales and reception
To promote the book’s launch, Trump organized a press event and signing session at Trump Tower on November 3, 2015. He advertised it through appearances on programs such as Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, Hannity, and Infowars; referenced it repeatedly at rallies during October and November; and tweeted about it 31 times. Reflecting back in June 2016, Trump claimed, "I didn't promote it, I didn't do anything, and it still did great."
When first released, Crippled America entered the New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover nonfiction at number 5 on November 12, 2015—just behind Ben Carson’s book. It remained on the list for thirteen weeks. Nielsen BookScan data indicated that it outsold every other publication by candidates in the 2016 race, having sold out its paperback edition along with an additional 199,000 hardcover copies by March 2016. Trump reported earnings between $1 million and $5 million from total sales that year. However, his claim that all proceeds would be donated to charity proved false.
NPR characterized Crippled America as typical of political campaign books that function more as strategic tools than as literary achievements. Chris Townsend from King's Review pointed out the book’s lack of nuance but emphasized its depiction of Trump as a dealmaker striving to secure America's best interests. Townsend described it primarily as a business-oriented book that translates themes from Trump's previous works onto a national level. Jesse Gordon of On the Issues commended the publication for clearly articulating Trump's policy positions with concrete details.
Michiko Kakutani from The New York Times criticized the book for boasting about Trump's business ventures while painting a bleak picture of America; she observed that it exposes Trump's core values and his dark perspective centered on retribution. John R. Coyne of The Washington Times noted Trump's straightforward style as a contrast to today’s highly scripted campaigns and remarked on the symbiotic relationship between Trump and media attention surrounding the book. CNN's Jeremy Diamond observed that while the familiar material is delivered in Trump’s signature plain language with frequent digressions, it offers insight into how he framed his campaign message and outlined his strategy for securing the Republican nomination.
See also
- Bibliography of Donald Trump
- Our Revolution (Sanders book), Bernie Sanders' memoir from 2016
- Stronger Together (book), the campaign publication by Hillary Clinton for 2016
References
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcnn - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedissues - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedwatch - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbusiness