Quotes from Bob Woodward

Tillerson said, and the floodgates gushed open. "The president can't make a decision. He doesn't know how to make a decision.

from shithole countries come here?" He had just met with the prime minister of Norway. Why not more Norwegians? Or Asians who could help the economy? Durbin was sickened. Graham was floored.

The next month the Senate voted 77–0 to set up the Watergate committee. The unanimity was almost unheard of. Even Republicans smelled something.

About 15 minutes before the Tomahawks would hit, a warning was sent to the Russians at the airfield. When the call was made, the Russian who picked up the phone at the airfield sounded intoxicated.

Russia had privately warned Mattis that if there was a war in the Baltics, Russia would not hesitate to use tactical nuclear weapons against NATO.

I go out and give a speech and it's covered by CNN and nobody's watching, nobody cares. I tweet something and it's my megaphone to the world.

1. Achieve political stability that will include a political settlement with the insurgent Taliban. 2. Push for institutional actions by the Afghan government to counter the Taliban. 3. Increase pressure on neighboring Pakistan, which was playing a double game—nominally allied with the United States, but also supporting terrorists and the Taliban. 4. Maintain international support from the 39 countries allied with the United States in a coalition.

Cohn had a packet of Goldman Sachs–style charts and tables to educate the president on taxes. Trump was not interested and did not read it.

Mr. President, you've got to buy some democrats, Graham said. The good news is they come cheap.

You couldn't talk to him in adult logic. Teenage logic was necessary.

Trump was systemically attacking the courts, the press, and Congress—a vintage move by an autocrat to dismantle institutions constricting his power.

When Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un amped up the rhetoric, he was warned, "Twitter could get us into a war.

Sean," Mattis finally said, "I've killed people for a living. If you call me again, I'm going to fucking send you to Afghanistan. Are we clear?

Kelly seemed to be just trying to keep the ship from sinking. At a senior staff meeting in early 2018, he announced with pride, "I now know that I will not be the shortest-serving chief of staff. I've now surpassed Reince." Priebus had served 189 days, the shortest tenure of any White House chief of staff in history.

Kelly said of the president, "He's an idiot. It's pointless to try to convince him of anything. He's gone off the rails. We're in crazytown. "I don't even know why any of us are here. This is the worst job I've ever had.

He's a fucking moron," Tillerson said so everyone heard.

For Mr. Trump, though, bringing in Mr. Bannon was the political equivalent of ordering comfort food." Bannon tried to sit down with Trump and walk him through refinements of the strategy and how to focus on particular states. The candidate had no interest in talking about it.

This degradation of the American experiment is real. This is tangible. Truth is no longer governing the White House statements. Nobody believes—even the people who believe in him somehow believe in him without believing what he says.

There was no turning back. Trump had crossed the point of no return. To the Trump opponents and haters, he was un-American, racist.

Republican senator Bob Corker had told reporters "the president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence" needed to succeed in office.

A heartfelt thanks to Evelyn M. Duffy, my assistant on five books that have covered four presidents. President Trump presents a particular hurdle because of the deep emotions and passions he brings out in supporters and critics. Evelyn immediately grasped that the challenge was to get new information, authenticate it and put it in context while reporting as deeply as possible inside the White House.

Trump, who doesn't touch type or use a keyboard

The important thing is the presidency, Nixon continued. If need be, save the presidency from the President.

Actually you've never voted in a primary except once in your entire life," Bossie said, citing the record.