Major Garrett's New Book, 'MR. TRUMP'S WILD RIDE' - Available Sept. 18th
CommPRO Editorial StaffIn MR. TRUMP’S WILD RIDE: The Thrills, Chills, Screams, and Occasional Blackouts of An Extraordinary Presidency, CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett shares his unique insider’s perspective for an authoritative and entertaining account of the most important and wide-reaching events of Donald Trump’s time in office.Major Garrett has been reporting on the White House for nearly two decades, covering four different presidencies for three news outlets. But if he thought that his distinguished journalistic career had prepared him for the unique challenges of covering Donald Trump, he was in for a surprise.Like many others in Washington, Garrett found himself having to unlearn many of his own settled notions about the nature and function of the presidency. He also had to separate the carnival-like noise of the Trump presidency from its underlying substance. For even in its first half, Trump’s tenure has been highly consequential.
In MR. TRUMP’S WILD RIDE, Major Garrett provides what journalists are often said to do, but usually don’t: a true first draft of history. His goal was to sift through the mountains of distracting tweets and shrieking headlines in order to focus on the most significant moments of Trump’s young presidency, the ones he believes will have a lasting impact. The result is an authoritative, mature, and consistently entertaining account of one of the strangest political years in American history.A consummate professional with unimpeachable integrity, remarkable storytelling skills, and a deep knowledge of his subject earned through decades of experience, Garrett brings to life the twists and turns of covering this White House and its unconventional occupant with wit, sagacity and style. MR. TRUMP’S WILD RIDE should place him securely in the first rank of Washington journalists.
Among the many pivotal events that Garrett includes in MR. TRUMP’S WILD RIDE:
- The moment Paul Ryan realized his constituents in Wisconsin weren't Republicans - they were Trump voters.
- How David Bossie found Mitt Romney's transition plan from the 2012 campaign in a Trump Tower desk and how team Trump used it as a roadmap.
- Why President Obama warned President-Elect Trump to stay away from Michael Flynn.
- The reasoning behind Mitch McConnell's decision to block Obama from filling the Supreme Court seat vacated by Scalia upon his death – as well as the genesis and evolution of Trump’s Supreme Court “list.”
- Why top White House and administration officials regarded the botched first travel ban executive order as a “training wheels moment.”
- Newt Gingrich’s efforts to control Trump's tweeting – and the negotiations that ensued.
- Ty Cobb's perspective on Trump's decision to fire James Comey – and how a potential interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller was derailed.
- An exclusive interview with Jared Kushner that reveals his conversations with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman in preparation for Trump's trip to Riyadh.
- Henry Kissinger's advice to Kushner on numerous topics, including diplomatic relations with China
- Trump's comment to friends that his responses to the violence in Charlottesville and NFL protests were attempts to win points on “cultural heritage.”
- Why pro-Trump conservatives opposed firing Jeff Sessions and why this was one of the unique instances in which Trump faced backlash from and bowed to his base.
MAJOR GARRETT has been a fixture in executive branch reporting for seventeen years, serving as a White House correspondent for three news outlets during the last four administrations. He has been CBS News' Chief White House Correspondent since 2012, and is also the host of the multi-platform (podcast, CBSN and national radio) interview show “The Takeout.” Garrett graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in journalism and political science. A native of San Diego, he lives in Washington, D.C.
