The new book about former President Donald Trump's final days in office, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's Peril, has already caused some big (if perhaps exaggerated) waves about Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley's actions to stop Trump from potentially starting a war to somehow stay in office. But there are "lesser revelations that may be catnip for political junkies," Politico reports, teasing a few "nuggets."
One of them involves former Attorney General William Barr and a "come to Jesus" meeting he had with Trump in April 2020. Barr, who would stay on for most of the rest of Trump's presidency, reportedly saw how the election could go and wanted to give Trump some frank political advice about the "charm offensive" he had to wage to win back the suburbs and "repair work" he had to do with Republicans and independents who liked his policies but not his personality. "They just think you're a f---ing a--hole," Barr reportedly told Trump.
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.
-
The state of Britain's Armed ForcesThe Explainer Geopolitical unrest and the unreliability of the Trump administration have led to a frantic re-evaluation of the UK's military capabilities
-
Anti-anxiety drug has a not-too-surprising effect on fishUnder the radar The fish act bolder and riskier
-
Sudoku hard: April 21, 2025The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
El Salvador's CECOT prison becomes Washington's go-to destinationIN THE SPOTLIGHT Republicans and Democrats alike are clamoring for access to the Trump administration's extrajudicial deportation camp — for very different reasons
-
Supreme Court takes up Trump birthright appealSpeed Read The New Jersey Attorney General said a constitutional right like birthright citizenship 'cannot be turned on or off at the whims of a single man'
-
Court slams Trump, senator visits Ábrego GarcíaSpeed Read The case 'should be shocking not only to judges' but all Americans with an 'intuitive sense of liberty'
-
The anger fueling the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez barnstorming tourTalking Points The duo is drawing big anti-Trump crowds in red states
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contemptSpeed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
-
Why the GOP is nervous about Ken Paxton's Senate runToday's Big Question A MAGA-establishment battle with John Cornyn will be costly
-
UK-US trade deal: can Keir Starmer trust Donald Trump?Today's Big Question White House insiders say an agreement is 'two weeks' away but can Britain believe it?
-
A running list of Trump's second-term national security controversiesIn Depth Several scandals surrounding national security have rocked the Trump administration
