The Trump White House tell-all book, Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff, has been creating quite a stir. Unsurprisingly, the president himself isn’t portrayed in a very generous light. After reading excerpts, it’s no surprise that Trump tried to block its publication. The futile attempts to squash Wolff’s book, like the cease-and-desist letter sent to Stephen Bannon and Trump’s futile attempts to block its publication, make a lot more sense when we consider the potential damage to Trump’s already unstable staffing.
Axios reports that while some of the content in his book should be taken with a large grain of salt, the book isn’t completely devoid of merit.
...[T]here are two things he gets absolutely right, even in the eyes of White House officials who think some of the book's scenes are fiction: his spot-on portrait of Trump as an emotionally erratic president, and the low opinion of him among some of those serving him.
Why it matters: Wolff captures the contempt some Trump aides have for the president and his family. Axios' Jonathan Swan notes that this includes people you see trumpeting their loyalty to him.
And what happens when you capture someone’s private contempt for a man they publicly defend? You look like a fool. It’s not just their own behinds that they are worried about. Trump is obviously going to be furious about the inevitable onslaught of negative media coverage about him—and we know how he likes to lash out at those around him. That’s why Axios’s tip about potential departures in the near future is entirely plausible.
Be smart: More than half a dozen of the more skilled White House staff are contemplating imminent departures. Many leaving are quite fearful about the next chapter of the Trump presidency.
They’re not the only one worried about the next chapter. Yes, there is some schadenfreude to enjoy when we know Trump is definitely pretty pissed off about the current media circus that’s shining a spotlight on his incompetence. But it’s important to remember that he’s still president (for now!) and the rest of America may pay a pretty price for experiencing this under his “rule.”