What will I learn about: Trump's presidency was defined by a profound disdain for expertise, leading him to frequently ignore, mock, and alienate his own military leaders and top advisors?

Trump's presidency was defined by a profound disdain for expertise, leading him to frequently ignore, mock, and alienate his own military leaders and top advisors.

What will I learn about: The president repeatedly demonstrated a startling ignorance of basic geography and historical events, famously failing to understand the significance of the Pearl Harbor memorial?

The president repeatedly demonstrated a startling ignorance of basic geography and historical events, famously failing to understand the significance of the Pearl Harbor memorial.

What will I learn about: Long-standing international policies and military commitments were frequently abandoned in seconds due to Trump's impulsive, unscripted decisions and phone calls with foreign leaders?

Long-standing international policies and military commitments were frequently abandoned in seconds due to Trump's impulsive, unscripted decisions and phone calls with foreign leaders.

What will I learn about: Trump upended traditional diplomatic protocol by regularly berating America's closest allies while simultaneously praising and trusting the word of adversaries like Vladimir Putin over US intelligence?

Trump upended traditional diplomatic protocol by regularly berating America's closest allies while simultaneously praising and trusting the word of adversaries like Vladimir Putin over US intelligence.

What will I learn about: Because the dense Mueller Report refused to issue a definitive legal verdict on obstruction, Trump was able to successfully control the media narrative and claim complete exoneration?

Because the dense Mueller Report refused to issue a definitive legal verdict on obstruction, Trump was able to successfully control the media narrative and claim complete exoneration.

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A Very Stable Genius

Donald J. Trump's Testing of America

Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig

★ 3.6 / 5(108 ratings)

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If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know what shocking insults were hurled inside "the Tank"—the Pentagon's most secure room—that led a top official to famously brand the president a "moron"?
💡Have you ever wondered why White House aides dubbed the commander-in-chief the "two-minute man" and what happened when he was asked to read the Constitution on camera?
💡Are you curious about the specific moment a single phone call from a foreign leader caused the president to abandon years of American military strategy in seconds?

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Key Takeaways from A Very Stable Genius

✓Trump's presidency was defined by a profound disdain for expertise, leading him to frequently ignore, mock, and alienate his own military leaders and top advisors.
✓The president repeatedly demonstrated a startling ignorance of basic geography and historical events, famously failing to understand the significance of the Pearl Harbor memorial.
✓Long-standing international policies and military commitments were frequently abandoned in seconds due to Trump's impulsive, unscripted decisions and phone calls with foreign leaders.
✓Trump upended traditional diplomatic protocol by regularly berating America's closest allies while simultaneously praising and trusting the word of adversaries like Vladimir Putin over US intelligence.
✓Because the dense Mueller Report refused to issue a definitive legal verdict on obstruction, Trump was able to successfully control the media narrative and claim complete exoneration.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from A Very Stable Genius

Mind Map

A Very Stable Genius

Leadership Style & Personality+

Ignorance of Basic Facts+

Hostility Toward Experts & Military+

Impulsive Foreign Policy+

Reversing Global Alliances+

Evading Accountability+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

How did Donald Trump’s 2016 Republican nomination acceptance speech significantly differ from those of his predecessors?

A. It focused heavily on international alliances and global cooperation.
B. It emphasized national unity and shared American values.
C. It was highly self-centered, with Trump claiming that he alone could fix the system.
D. It outlined a detailed, expert-driven policy platform for his first 100 days.

Question 2 of 8

What was the primary reason for Trump's outburst at the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon's 'Tank'?

A. He believed the military was requesting too much funding for new weapons systems.
B. He resented their internationalist language and viewed overseas alliances and deployments as unprofitable.
C. He discovered they had been leaking confidential information to the press.
D. He felt they were not being aggressive enough toward Russia and China.

Question 3 of 8

How did Trump inadvertently derail Rex Tillerson's plan to strengthen US-India relations as a countermeasure to China?

A. He demanded that India pay for US military bases in the region.
B. He told the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, that India didn't share a border with China.
C. He abruptly cancelled a state dinner with the Indian delegation to play golf.
D. He publicly praised Pakistan's military capabilities during the meeting.

Question 4 of 8

Why did HR McMaster, Trump’s first national security adviser, become a frequent target of the president’s mockery?

A. He insisted on delivering the unvarnished truth instead of soft-pedaling bad news.
B. He repeatedly leaked internal White House memos to the press.
C. He refused to support the president's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
D. He lacked military experience, which Trump openly disdained.

Question 5 of 8

What prompted Donald Trump to abruptly announce the withdrawal of US troops from Syria in December 2019?

A. A classified intelligence briefing indicating the Islamic State had been completely eradicated.
B. A unanimous recommendation from his Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense.
C. A sudden lack of funding authorized by Congress for the Syrian operation.
D. A single phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Question 6 of 8

How did Trump react during the Helsinki summit to US intelligence agencies' conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election?

A. He announced new economic sanctions against Russia to deter future interference.
B. He ignored his own intelligence agencies and publicly accepted Vladimir Putin's denial.
C. He demanded a formal apology from Vladimir Putin on the world stage.
D. He claimed the interference was actually orchestrated by China and Iran.

Question 7 of 8

What ultimatum did Trump deliver to American allies during a 2018 NATO summit in Brussels?

A. They must expel all Russian diplomats or face strict US trade tariffs.
B. They must renegotiate their trade deals with the EU to favor the United States.
C. They must raise their military budgets to 2 percent of their GDP or the US might leave the alliance.
D. They must send troops to the US-Mexico border to assist with immigration control.

Question 8 of 8

Why was Trump able to publicly claim that the Mueller Report provided a 'complete and total exoneration'?

A. The report explicitly stated that Trump and his aides had not obstructed justice in any way.
B. Robert Mueller refused to reach a definitive legal verdict on whether the president had committed a crime.
C. The report proved conclusively that the Russian government did not interfere in the 2016 election.
D. Congress voted to dismiss the report before it could be released to the public.

A Very Stable Genius — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2An early outburst in Trump’s presidency alienated the US military’s top leaders.
3Trump repeatedly shows ignorance of topics presidents have traditionally been expected to understand.
4Trump shows little respect for experts, often turns abusive, and makes impossible demands.
5Trump often disregards his advisers and makes impulsive foreign policy choices.
6Despite US intelligence findings, Trump does not see Putin’s Russia as a threat.
7Trump frequently attacks America’s closest allies.
8The Mueller Report detailed a catalog of misconduct, but Trump was able to claim it cleared him.
9Final summary

A Very Stable Genius Summary & Overview

A Very Stable Genius (2020) is the definitive account of Donald Trump’s time in the White House. After three years of silence, dozens of public officials and other first-hand witnesses familiar with the workings of the Trump administration went on record with reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker. Their testimony forms the backbone of these blinks, which reveal the forty-fifth president of the United States up close.

Who Should Listen to A Very Stable Genius?

Politics buffs
News junkies looking for the bigger picture
Journalists and reporters

About the Author: Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig

Carol Leonnig is an investigative reporter at the Washington Post. She has won three Pulitzers for her reporting on misconduct in the Secret Service, Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and government surveillance. She is a regular contributor to NBC News and MSNBC.

Philip Rucker is the White House Bureau Chief at the Washington Post. He and a team of Post reporters won the 2016 Pulitzer for their reportage of Russian meddling in the 2016 US election. Rucker is an on-air political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.