New Book Says Trump Compared His Power to Hitler and Mao, Citing 1,000 Interviews
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jun 18
New Book Says Trump Compared His Power to Hitler and Mao, Citing 1,000 Interviews
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jun 18
Summary
A March interview for “Regime Change” says Trump produced a 2-page document arguing he wielded more global power than Hitler, Mao, Stalin, Napoleon and others, then later posted it on Truth Social calling its author a “presidential historian.”
The book says that author was actually Gary Player’s longtime caddy, not a historian, and a source told CNN the post may have been an effort to get ahead of the book’s Tuesday release.
More than 1,000 interviews underpin the book’s portrait of Trump’s first 14 months back in office as unusually unconstrained, improvisational and willing to target perceived enemies, rattle markets and wage war abroad.
Its anecdotes range from Trump gluing gold decorations onto the Oval Office mantel to berating Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over tariffs and pressing aides to “bust” Fed Chair Jerome Powell over the central bank’s renovation project.
The book also depicts Trump’s volatile foreign-policy style, including initial reluctance to join Benjamin Netanyahu against Iran, delight in his Oval Office clash with Volodymyr Zelensky, and envoy Steve Witkoff’s failed chemistry-driven outreach to Vladimir Putin.
Why did the White House pivot from backing war in Iran to signing a ceasefire that has now angered its allies?
What does Putin's cryptic '3+2' doodle mean for Ukraine's territory, and can it secure a lasting peace in the region?
As federal election security teams are dismantled, what is the new plan to safeguard the upcoming 2026 midterms?
Inside Trump’s Second Term: Dictator Comparisons, Executive Overreach, and the Threat to American Democracy
Overview
Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan’s upcoming book, "Regime Change," reveals that in March 2026, Donald Trump presented a document claiming his power surpassed infamous leaders like Hitler and Mao Zedong. This document, which Trump said was from a historian, was later found not to be written by a professional. These self-comparisons sparked strong reactions, with figures like Xochitl Hinojosa expressing alarm at Trump likening himself to dictators. The report highlights how Trump’s actions and rhetoric have fueled concerns about unchecked executive power and the potential erosion of democratic norms in the United States.