The Divider

Trump in the White House, 2017-2021

By: Peter Baker, Susan Glasser

Narrated by: Michael Quinlan

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER •

"The most comprehensive and detailed account of the Trump presidency yet published."—The Washington Post

A Best Book of the Year: The New Yorker and Financial Times

"The book everyone is talking about."—Politico

The inside story of the four years when Donald Trump went to war with Washington, from the chaotic beginning to the violent finale, told by revered journalists Peter Baker of The New York Times and Susan Glasser of The New Yorker—an ambitious and lasting history of the full Trump presidency that also contains dozens of exclusive scoops and stories from behind the scenes in the White House, from the absurd to the deadly serious.

"A sumptuous feast of astonishing tales...The more one reads, the more one wishes to read."—NPR.com • "A beautifully written, utterly dispiriting history of the man who attacked democracy." —The Guardian

The bestselling authors of The Man Who Ran Washington argue that Trump was not just lurching from one controversy to another; he was learning to be more like the foreign autocrats he admired.

The Divider brings us into the Oval Office for countless scenes both tense and comical, revealing how close we got to nuclear war with North Korea, which cabinet members had a resignation pact, whether Trump asked Japan’s prime minister to nominate him for a Nobel Prize and much more. The book also explores the moral choices confronting those around Trump—how they justified working for a man they considered unfit for office, and where they drew their lines.

The Divider is based on unprecedented access to key players, from President Trump himself to cabinet officers, military generals, close advisers, Trump family members, congressional leaders, foreign officials and others, some of whom have never told their story until now.

©2022 Peter Baker, Susan Glasser (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Well-paced and engagingly written...the most comprehensive and detailed account of the Trump presidency yet published."—The Washington Post

"[A] detail-rich history of the Trump administration...Comprehensively researched and briskly told...Squeezing the tumultuous events of the long national fever dream that was the Donald Trump presidency between two covers...would tax the skills of the nimblest journalist. Yet the husband-and-wife team of Baker and Glasser pull it off with assurance."—The New York Times Book Review

"As a sumptuous feast of astonishing tales, it may hold wonderments indeed for those first contemplating the enormity of the Trump phenomenon...But even a reader steeped in years of Trump coverage and well-versed in the precedent literature may be surprised at how compelling this narrative proves to be. The more one reads, the more one wishes to read."—NPR.com

Troubling but true

As a conservative, this book was very hard to read. My sense, though, is that it was very truthful. This book was well written, narrated well and should be an eye-opener for most people. However, those who drank the Kool-Aid will never believe anything other than what comes from Trump.

It appears to me now, factually, that Donald Trump imperiled our democracy. He is the father of lies. I’m grateful for this book that helped me remember so much that I tried to forget.

The dawning of an autocracy

I would recommend this book to any young, middle-age, or older adult who truly cares about the United States of America and our democracy. please, read, listen to, verify if you must, but please come away with the truth, because that’s the only way we can save our democracy. God bless America!

Loved every single word…

…and can’t wait to listen again after I finish Confidence Man. Truth is stranger than fiction— proven once again. And I’m stunned by how extra 🍌🍌🍌 the WH really was. Thank you for all your efforts to save our democracy with truth! And I think the epilogue spoke volumes as to where things stand today, 10/8/2022. Stay vigilant and vote my fellow Americans. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Superbly Informative!

The reporting's provision of fuller factual context markedly enhances an evenhanded understanding of DTS's actual reign of terror and his naked self-aggrandizement. Perhaps his cult members react to the stark reality depicted in the book with disturbing cognitive dissonance. They would be wise to work through their inner pathologies.

The publication of The Divider constitutes a public asset to the Nation.

Sad but true

I’m not very good with reviews but I am a fan of history. I followed Donald Trump‘s coming into office this president and was absolutely horrified by the abuse of power that I witnessed. I am sure for all of us that listen to this book there will be surprises as there were for me. It was horrifying to find out how close our democracy came to being brought down by one man, a narcissist, a Divider. I enjoyed this book and will come back to it sometime in the future. For all that listen to this book do you have an open mind, take in the story as it’s being read, the details put forth you can literally close your eyes and imagine the chaos that occurred in the White House unbelievable.

Excellent

Excellent book. Well written with remarkable grasp of the facts and circumstance of the worst presidency in the history of the United States of America

Exceptional journalism

Full of new information. Great profile of personalities , including a post White House Trump. This and the January 6th Committee hearings shine a light on a dark period in American history.

A compelling read…brilliantly researched

Should be a must-read for all Americans. Unfortunately that cannot happen in our polarized country.

A MUST READ BEFORE THE 2024 ELECTION!!

Very informative and well written. Can’t say that I enjoyed it, as the subject matter is disappointing. It was enlightening and timely .

Very much an insider view

A compelling account of the activities of the former president. Hard to know for certain but appears to be a balanced telling of event by people who were there b