Angry at the criticism: Martin Matishak and Connor O’Brien, “Clapper: Trump Rhetoric on Intel Agencies Alarming U.S. Allies,” Politico, January 5, 2017.
The next day, Kellyanne Conway: Louis Nelson, “Conway ‘Disappointed’ in Media Leaks Before Intel Briefing,” Politico, January 6, 2017.
In a telephone interview: Michael D. Shear and David E. Sanger, “Putin Led a Complex Cyberattack Scheme to Aid Trump, Report Finds,” The New York Times, January 6, 2017.
In his book, Comey offers: James Comey, A Higher Loyalty (New York: Flatiron Books, 2018), p. 218.
Russia has had a long-standing desire: Read the unclassified version of the intelligence community’s January 6, 2017, report on the DNI website at https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf.
Trump was a “clear preference”: Ibid.
Comey later wrote, “I figured”: James Comey, A Higher Loyalty (New York: Flatiron Books, 2018), p. 224.
In A Higher Loyalty, Comey wrote: Ibid., p. 216.
This is what Comey wrote: Ibid., p. 225.
After the briefing Trump released: Louis Nelson, “Trump Says Hacking Had ‘No Effect on the Outcome of the Election,’?” Politico, January 6, 2017.
Four days later, January 10: Ken Bensinger, Miriam Elder and Mark Schoofs, “These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties to Russia,” BuzzFeed News, January 10, 2017.
In Facts and Fears, Clapper: James R. Clapper, Facts and Fears (New York: Penguin, 2018), p. 4.
In A Higher Loyalty, published: James Comey, A Higher Loyalty (New York: Flatiron Books, 2018), p. 216.
On January 15, five days: Fox News Sunday transcript, Fox News, January 15, 2017.
Later that afternoon Trump tweeted: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/820723387995717632.
CHAPTER 9
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
A lot went wrong: For some of the best public accounts of this event, see Eric Schmitt and David E. Sanger, “Raid in Yemen: Risky from the Start and Costly in the End,” The New York Times, February 1, 2017; and Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Missy Ryan, “In Deadly Yemen Raid, a Lesson for Trump’s National Security Team,” The Washington Post, January 31, 2017.
Owens’s father, Bill Owens: Julie K. Brown, “Slain SEAL’s Dad Wants Answers: ‘Don’t Hide Behind My Son’s Death,’?” Miami Herald, February 26, 2017.
He later also said: Ibid.
“I can understand people saying”: Nolan D. McCaskill, “Trump Deflects Responsibility on Yemen Raid: ‘They Lost Ryan,’?” Politico, February 28, 2017.
In an interview on Fox: Ibid.
To the congressional audience: Donald J. Trump, “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress,” February 28, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123408.
As a private citizen Mattis: Carla Marinucci, “Ex-Military Leaders at Hoover Institution Say Trump Statements Threaten America’s Interests,” Politico, July 15, 2016.
Senator John McCain, displaying: Emma Loop, “John McCain Says the Recent Yemen Raid Was a ‘Failure,’?” BuzzFeed News, February 7, 2017.
Under the Brexit referendum: Great Britain’s Brexit referendum was held on June 23, 2016.
In his speech in Munich: “Intervention by Secretary of Defense Mattis, Session One of the North Atlantic Council,” NATO Defense Ministerial, February 15, 2017.
Nonetheless he said: “U.S. Defense Chief Says NATO Is ‘Fundamental Bedrock,’?” Reuters, February 15, 2017.
At a news conference: Donald J. Trump, “The President’s News Conference with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” April 12, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123739.
When Trump met the European leaders: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks at the Dedication Ceremony for the Berlin Wall Memorial and the 9/11 and Article 5 Memorial in Brussels, Belgium,” May 25, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=125840.
CHAPTER 10
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
What the hell! Priebus thought: Greg Miller, Adam Entous and Ellen Nakashima, “National Security Adviser Flynn Discussed Sanctions with Russian Ambassador, Despite Denials, Officials Say,” The Washington Post, February 9, 2017.
The Post story, carrying the bylines: Ibid.
According to a six-page internal: Author obtained document.
President-elect Trump praised Putin: View Trump’s tweet at https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/814919370711461890.
Flynn’s resignation was announced: Greg Miller and Philip Rucker, “Michael Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser,” The Washington Post, February 14, 2017.
His statement said, “I accept”: Carol D. Leonnig, Adam Entous, Devlin Barrett and Matt Zapotosky, “Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to FBI on Contacts with Russian Ambassador,” The Washington Post, December 1, 2017.
Trump had raised hell about McCabe’s wife: D’Angelo Gore, “Clinton’s Connection to FBI Official,” FactCheck.org, October 25, 2016.
She had received $675,288: Ibid.; see also D’Angelo Gore, “Trump Wrong About Campaign Donations,” FactCheck.org, July 26, 2017.
He had not let go of the issue: View Trump’s tweets at: https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/889792764363276288; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/890207082926022656; https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/890208319566229504.
“You know this story in The New York Times?”: Michael S. Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo, “Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts with Russian Intelligence,” The New York Times, February 14, 2017.
About a week later on February 24: Jim Sciutto, Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, Manu Raju and Pamela Brown, “FBI Refused White House Request to Knock Down Recent Trump-Russia Stories,” CNN, February 24, 2017.
Four months later on June 8: Michael S. Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo, “Comey Disputes New York Times Article About Russia Investigation,” The New York Times, June 8, 2017.
CHAPTER 11
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
“I just wanted to announce”: Donald J. Trump, “Remarks on the Appointment of Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster (USA) as National Security Adviser in Palm Beach, Florida, and an Exchange with Reporters,” February 20, 2017. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=123396.
CHAPTER 12
The information in this chapter comes primarily from multiple deep background interviews with firsthand sources.
Dispelling any doubt: Christine Kim, “Voice of Triumph or Doom: North Korean Presenter Back in Limelight for Nuclear Test,” Reuters, September 4, 2017.
The North’s nuclear weapons center: Matt Clinch, “Here’s the Full Statement from North Korea on Nuclear Test,” CNBC, September 9, 2016.
To compound the potential: See the CNS North Korea Missile Test Database, available for download at http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/cns-north-korea-missile-test-database/.
Former U.S. negotiator Robert Gallucci: Panel discussion on U.S. policy on North Korea at George Washington University, August 28, 2017, Washington, D.C. Video is available at https://www.c-span.org/video/?433122-1/us-policy-north-korea.
Trump had a history of public statements: Rebecca Shabad, “Timeline: What Has Trump Said About North Korea over the Years?” CBS News, August 10, 2017.
In a 2016 campaign speech: Ibid.
In May of 2016, he told Reuters: Ibid.
As president, in 2017: Ibid.
He condemned the North’s: Barack Obama, “Statement on North Korea’s Nuclear Test,” September 9, 2016. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=118931.
To maximize shock value: Elizabeth Weise, “Sony Pictures Entertainment Hacked,” USA Today, November 24, 2014.
CHAPTER 13