I Alone Can Fix It

Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year

By: Carol Leonnig, Philip Rucker

Narrated by: January LaVoy, Carol Leonnig, Philip Rucker

The instant number one New York Times best seller | A Washington Post Notable Book | One of NPR's Best Books of 2021

The definitive behind-the-scenes story of Trump's final year in office, by Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig, the Pulitzer-Prize winning reporters and authors of A Very Stable Genius.

“Chilling.” (Anderson Cooper)
“Jaw-dropping.” (John Berman)
“Shocking.” (John Heilemann)
“Explosive.” (Hallie Jackson)
“Blockbuster new reporting.” (Nicolle Wallace)
“Bracing new revelations.” (Brian Williams)
“Bombshell reporting.” (David Muir)

The true story of what took place in Donald Trump’s White House during a disastrous 2020 has never before been told in full. What was really going on around the president, as the government failed to contain the coronavirus and over half a million Americans perished? Who was influencing Trump after he refused to concede an election he had clearly lost and spread lies about election fraud? To answer these questions, Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig reveal a dysfunctional and bumbling presidency’s inner workings in unprecedented, stunning detail.

Focused on Trump and the key players around him - the doctors, generals, senior advisers, and Trump family members - Rucker and Leonnig provide a forensic account of the most devastating year in a presidency like no other. Their sources were in the room as time and time again Trump put his personal gain ahead of the good of the country. These witnesses to history tell the story of him longing to deploy the military to the streets of American cities to crush the protest movement in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, all to bolster his image of strength ahead of the election.

These sources saw firsthand his refusal to take the threat of the coronavirus seriously - even to the point of allowing himself and those around him to be infected. This is a story of a nation sabotaged—economically, medically, and politically - by its own leader, culminating with a groundbreaking, minute-by-minute account of exactly what went on in the Capitol building on January 6, as Trump’s supporters so easily breached the most sacred halls of American democracy, and how the president reacted. With unparalleled access, Rucker and Leonnig explain and expose exactly who enabled - and who foiled - Trump as he sought desperately to cling to power.

A classic and heart-racing work of investigative reporting, this book is destined to be read and studied by citizens and historians alike for decades to come.

©2021 Carol Leonnig, Philip Rucker (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A meticulous history.... An essential read for anyone seriously concerned with the fate of democracy in the United States. The book belongs in every library seeking to record the major forces and personalities shaping the 21st century.” (New York Journal of Books)

“A deeply-reported look at President Donald Trump and his chaotic administration.... Shocking revelations.” (People)

“What [I Alone Can Fix It] argues in a detailed case is that the catastrophe of 2020 was a result of Trump's proclivity to put political optics above all else, including American lives.” (USA Today)

Incredibly helpful

To understand the backroom machinations and demented thinking of the emperor with no clothes.

A Mistake

The book states that on the evening of January 5, 2021, news arrived of the elections wins of the two Democratic Senators from Georgia. This is wrong: Warnock’s victory was declared late on January 5th, but Ossoff’s victory was announced only entry evening of January 6th, in the middle of the insurrection. Prior to that announcement, Ossoff’s victory was still in doubt.

This should be required reading

It is amazing to hear this story since we have just lived through it.

This book painstakingly details the incompetence of Trump and the tactics he used to control his administration. You get to hear first hand, from those closest to him, how Trump would deliberately lie and mislead the American people.

I think we really dodged a bullet by getting this guy out of office. Any rational person can clearly see he needs to be prosecuted and behind bars for his blatantly criminal acts.

This book should be required reading for all students. We need to make sure this never happens again. Luckily, democracy worked (this time). I shutter to think what would have happened if this madman cheated and forced his way to a second term.

great reporting

This riveting report validates all we
witnessed in horror for over four years. Very well done

Excellent listening

While I endured the final year of #45 and was tied to multiple news sources, I still learned a lot from this book. I learned the whys and wherefores. This book also proves that #45 had many followers who are just as devious and despicable as he is. Thank you, Carol and Philip for another great book. January LaVoy did an exceptional job in narrating.

more like this please!

It is almost a miracle America survived the disaster of Trump. We need to ensure all future candidates are fully vetted...great job for honest news investigators.

Excellent

Thoroughly enjoyed my first audiobook .This dramatic overview of politics, power, personalities and crisis in a democracy was so enlightening, entertaining and a little scary.

Whew!

Just when you may have thought was it really that bad you find out it was worse!

Truth to power Inside story!

Investigative blow-by-blow behind -the -scenes account of chaos in Trump's final days and the January 6 Insurrection. Outstanding journalism. A compelling read!

What a year!

Even after living through this, there were things I discovered through this book. Years from now, people will look back at this time in American history and wonder how democracy survived. This book will be a roadmap. Hope we learn well.