The 'particular bile' Trump reserves for Brett Kavanaugh


Former President Donald Trump reportedly feels "betrayed" by all three of his Supreme Court appointees, but he reserves "particular bile" for Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a new book by Michael Wolff reveals, per Axios.
Trump is reportedly "very disappointed" in his "hard-won" nominee, and believes he "hasn't got the courage you need to be a great justice," Wolff writes in Landslide, out Tuesday. What's more, the ex-president believes that he "saved [Kavanaugh's] life": "Where would he be without me? ... He wouldn't even be in a law firm. Who would have had him? Nobody. Totally disgraced. Only I saved him."
While recounting to Wolff Kavanaugh's "brutal confirmation fight," Trump said "practically every senator" called and asked Trump to "cut [Kavanaugh] loose," but Trump refused. Instead, he "fought like hell for Kavanaugh ... At great expense to myself."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Following his election loss, Trump was reportedly most angry at those he believed "owed him" for their jobs, Axios reports. And Kavanaugh, of course, was one of those people. For the highly-criticized justice to fail Trump on "the matter of ultimate importance — overturning the election — was ... a betrayal of the highest order," Axios writes.
"I don't want anything ... but I am very disappointed in him, in his rulings," Trump admits to Wolff. Read more at Axios.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
'The way AI is discussed makes it seem like this is a necessary outcome'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Measles cases surge to 33-year high
Speed Read The infection was declared eliminated from the US in 2000 but has seen a resurgence amid vaccine hesitancy
-
The New York Times plays defense after publishing leaked Mamdani college application details
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The decision to publish details of Zohran Mamdani's Columbia University application has reignited simmering questions about sourcing and editorial guidelines
-
'The way AI is discussed makes it seem like this is a necessary outcome'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin on August 1, with rates ranging from 25% to 40% on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Iran: Is regime change possible?
Feature The U.S.-Israeli attack exposed cracks in Iran's regime
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?
Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump