Fear: Trump in the White House

Fear: Trump in the White House
Company type	Book
Industry	Publishing
Founded	September 11, 2018; 8 years ago
Founder	Bob Woodward
Products	Nonfiction book
Owner	Simon & Schuster

Fear: Trump in the White House is a nonfiction work authored by American journalist Bob Woodward, focusing on the first presidency of Donald Trump. Published on September 11, 2018, the book is grounded in hundreds of hours of interviews conducted with members of the Trump administration. According to publisher Simon & Schuster, it achieved sales of 1.1 million copies across all formats during its initial week, marking it as the fastest-selling debut in the company’s history.

Background

Bob Woodward, widely recognized for uncovering the Watergate scandal and receiving a Pulitzer Prize, is regarded as one of the foremost investigative reporters in the United States. His meticulous coverage of various presidencies has established a benchmark for reporting on the White House. The collaboration with editor Alice Mayhew—their nineteenth joint project—was instrumental in shaping the book’s narrative style and organization.

The title originates from a 2016 statement by Trump: "Real power is, I don't even want to use the word, fear." The content is drawn from comprehensive interviews, meeting records, official documents, and personal diaries. Woodward personally recorded these discussions, with research assistant Evelyn Duffy responsible for their transcription.

Content

The narrative depicts a turbulent Trump administration where staff members reportedly removed documents from Trump’s desk to prevent rash decisions. Prominent officials voiced sharp criticisms of Trump’s competence: Chief of Staff John F. Kelly described him as "unhinged," Secretary of Defense James Mattis compared his understanding to that of "a fifth or sixth grader," and former personal attorney John M. Dowd labeled him "a fucking liar."

Trump was said to have insulted Attorney General Jeff Sessions, referring to him as "mentally retarded" and "a dumb southerner," allegations he denied despite conflicting audio evidence. The account aligns with other 2018 portrayals such as Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury, illustrating a dysfunctional White House under a president perceived as overwhelmed.

Significantly, following the 2017 Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, Trump reportedly ordered the assassination of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an action opposed by Mattis. While Trump initially denied this directive, he later confirmed it in 2020.

White House response

In August 2018, prior to publication, Trump engaged in a conversation with Woodward, acknowledging that the book would be unfavorable but disputing its accuracy. Upon release of excerpts, he dismissed Fear as yet another poorly credible work and questioned Woodward’s objectivity.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders characterized the book as containing "fabricated stories." Both Kelly and Mattis refuted specific quotations attributed to them within the text.

Book sales

Fear sold more than 1.1 million copies during its first week and debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Reviews

Lloyd Green from The Guardian described Fear as a measured, fact-based exposé revealing White House turmoil reminiscent of Watergate-era journalism. NPR’s Ron Elving regarded it as the most insightful depiction yet of Trump’s presidency, while acknowledging that some supporters might reject its portrayal due to reliance on anonymous sources diminishing its perceived reliability.

External links

Washington Journal conversation with Woodward regarding Fear, September 17, 2018, C-SPAN