At War with Ourselves audiobook cover - My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House

At War with Ourselves

My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House

H. R. McMaster

★ 3.9 / 5(102 ratings)
Start ListeningDownload App
Categories:
Biography & MemoirPoliticsManagement & Leadership

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to At War with Ourselves — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from At War with Ourselves

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from At War with Ourselves

Mind Map

At War with Ourselves
Entry & Mission+
Reforming the NSC+
Advising the President+
Cabinet Power Struggles+
Eroding Influence & Attacks+
Final Crises & Departure+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
During his initial interview at Mar-a-Lago, what aspect of McMaster's approach to strategy seemed to resonate most with President Trump?
  • A. His belief that military power alone is sufficient to solve most international crises.
  • B. His insistence that effective strategy must combine military, diplomatic, and economic pressure.
  • C. His promise to strictly follow the "America First" populist agenda without question.
  • D. His plan to completely dismantle the National Security Council and start fresh.
Question 2 of 6
Why did McMaster push to have Steve Bannon removed from the National Security Council (NSC)?
  • A. Bannon was introducing partisan influence into a body that traditionally avoided it, leading to chaos and leaks.
  • B. Bannon repeatedly advocated for increasing troop levels in Afghanistan against McMaster's advice.
  • C. Bannon was secretly working with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to defund the NSC.
  • D. Bannon refused to attend mandatory NSC meetings, causing significant delays in policy decisions.
Question 3 of 6
What specific tactic did McMaster use to successfully convince President Trump of the strategic importance of the US mission in Afghanistan?
  • A. He threatened to resign if the president withdrew American troops from the region.
  • B. He organized a summit with allied leaders to publicly pressure the president into compliance.
  • C. He provided visual storytelling and arranged meetings with returning soldiers to ground the policy in human stories.
  • D. He bypassed the president and implemented the policy directly through the Department of Defense.
Question 4 of 6
How did Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis complicate McMaster's role as national security advisor?
  • A. He frequently leaked classified NSC documents to the alt-right press.
  • B. He bypassed NSC processes to work directly with the president, fragmenting foreign-policy development.
  • C. He demanded that the Department of Defense take over all diplomatic negotiations regarding North Korea.
  • D. He aligned himself with Steve Bannon to openly criticize McMaster during cabinet meetings.
Question 5 of 6
What was the primary disconnect between McMaster and President Trump during the 2018 World Economic Forum?
  • A. McMaster wanted to focus on China's economic expansion, while Trump focused on an "America First" message and generating headlines.
  • B. McMaster urged the president to withdraw from the forum entirely, but Trump insisted on attending to secure a trade deal.
  • C. McMaster wanted to highlight the dangers of Russian interference, while Trump wanted to focus exclusively on North Korea.
  • D. McMaster drafted a speech on climate change, which Trump discarded in favor of discussing military spending.
Question 6 of 6
How did President Trump initially react to McMaster's advice regarding the poisoning of Russian spy Sergei Skripal?
  • A. He immediately ordered a targeted military strike on Russian intelligence assets.
  • B. He agreed to expel diplomats but refused to implement any economic sanctions.
  • C. He hesitated to respond because he did not fully believe the intelligence implicating the Kremlin.
  • D. He publicly blamed the attack on rogue actors within the British government.

At War with Ourselves — Full Chapter Overview

At War with Ourselves Summary & Overview

At War with Ourselves (2024) takes you on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Trump White House. You’ll discover how chaos and power struggles shaped H. R. McMaster’s one-year tenure as national security advisor, and how he tried to advance the nation’s long-term strategic interests.

Who Should Listen to At War with Ourselves?

  • Americans interested in what happened during the Trump administration 
  • Politics junkies interested in U.S. governance
  • Students of public policy, history, or international relations

About the Author: H. R. McMaster

R. McMaster is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and author. He served as National Security Advisor from 2017 to 2018 under President Donald Trump. Other titles he’s authored include Dereliction of Duty and Battlegrounds. 

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App