Anonymous Trump administration author says it's not an act of 'cowardice' to keep name a secret


We're no closer to knowing the identity of the anonymous Trump administration official behind the upcoming book A Warning, but they have given some insight into why they are keeping their name under wraps — and whether they will ever publicly reveal who they are.
The official first made waves last year, when they penned an op-ed for The New York Times, talking about a resistance against President Trump taking place inside the White House. In A Warning, the author writes that shrouding their identity deprives Trump of "an opportunity to create a distraction. What will he do when there is no person to attack, only an idea?" It's not an act of "cowardice" to remain anonymous, the author writes, and they shared that in the future, they could attach their name to criticism of Trump.
The author says that all administration officials "have draft resignation letters in our desks or on our laptops. That's the half-teasing, half-true advice you get on day one in the Trump administration or immediately following Senate confirmation." There was talk of a mass exodus, the author writes, but Trump is such a "mess" that the officials "thought we could keep it together. That answer feels more hollow than it used 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.
It's clear that the author doesn't lean liberal — they complain about former President Barack Obama, saying he was "out of touch with mainstream America," and cheer for Trump's tax cuts and the appointments of conservative judges. It was Trump's lack of decorum that first got under the author's skin, and the final straw for Anonymous came when Trump tried to raise the White House flag when it was half-staff following the death of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). When asked for a response to A Warning, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said the book is "nothing but lies."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
UN panel finds Israeli genocide in Gaza
Speed Read The report found that Israeli leaders had committed ‘four of the five “genocidal acts”’ prohibited under the U.N. Genocide Convention
-
Trump allies reportedly poised to buy TikTok
Speed Read Under the deal, U.S. companies would own about 80% of the company
-
September 17 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday’s political cartoons include a diet of outrage, toxic rhetoric, and tank treads on states' rights
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants