President Donald Trump was focused on decorations for the White House in the early weeks of the Iran war, according to a bombshell book released last week.
New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan released their book, “Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump,” on June 23. The anticipated book has garnered national attention in recent weeks as people delve into the behind-the-scenes look at Trump’s second term.
In an appearance on CSPAN on Monday, Swan detailed how relaxed Trump was at the start of the Iran war. Swan and Haberman met with Trump for an interview for their book on March 16, which was 17 days into the U.S.-Iran war.
“The Trump White House, to the outside, looks like this hive of activity, this incredible machine that’s just pumping out activity, but for people who actually go in and see him, it can often seem like he has all the time in the world,” Swan said.
“It was the 17th day of the war in Iran. There’d been American casualties, the war was not going so well. You could imagine a president under huge duress and stress, maps, and whatever,” Swan said. “He was the picture of relaxation.”
Swan suggested Trump was focused on purchasing maple trees for the White House amid the ongoing war.
“When we walked into the Oval Office, on top of the Resolute Desk, were photographs of maple trees, and he held it up, and he said, “You know, I’m buying maple trees for the White House. Turns out I’m good at buying trees,’” Swan said.
“Underneath were more pictures of his ballroom, of the columns. He spends very considerable amounts of his time on decoration, design, rebuilding monuments, and refurbishing Washington, D.C.,” he added.
Swan then explained that Trump’s White House meetings are “rolling” and that a very small group of people actually know what is going on in the Oval Office. He said there are fewer leaks during Trump’s second term than his first.
“Things that they actually do want to keep secret, they’re very good at keeping secrets, much better than the first term,” Swan said.
“This is nothing like the first term. This is a country being run by five or six people, a tiny group, and most people in the government in a very senior level at various agencies, State Department, have no earthly idea what’s being said in this room, and what’s being discussed, and what’s being planned,” he continued.
He said during the first term, “anyone could get a leak” from the Trump White House.
“He now has true loyalists around him and the leaking is just far less prevalent,” Swan added.
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