📖 Overview
Siege: Trump Under Fire is Michael Wolff's follow-up to his bestseller Fire and Fury, chronicling the Trump presidency from February 2018 through March 2019. The book draws from interviews with 150 sources, including extensive on-the-record commentary from former Trump aide Steve Bannon.
Wolff documents the internal dynamics of the Trump administration during key events including the Mueller investigation, staff departures, and policy decisions. The narrative spans a critical period that culminated in the release of the Mueller Report, offering perspectives from inside sources on the administration's response to mounting pressures.
Through extensive reporting and insider accounts, Wolff constructs a portrait of the Trump White House during one of its most turbulent periods. The book focuses on power struggles, decision-making processes, and the president's management style during this challenging phase of his term.
The book represents a significant contribution to the contemporary historical record of the Trump presidency, raising questions about leadership, governance, and the nature of political power in modern America.
👀 Reviews
Readers note this book contains less revelatory content than Wolff's previous Trump book "Fire and Fury." Many find it reads like a collection of gossip and unverified claims rather than investigative journalism.
Readers appreciated:
- Behind-the-scenes details of White House operations
- Engaging writing style and pacing
- Coverage of Mueller investigation dynamics
Common criticisms:
- Heavy reliance on anonymous sources
- Lack of fact-checking and documentation
- Sensationalized tone
- Repetitive content from previous book
Ratings:
Goodreads: 3.6/5 (3,800+ ratings)
Amazon: 3.7/5 (1,400+ ratings)
Sample reader comments:
"Reads like political fan fiction" - Goodreads reviewer
"More focused on creating drama than accuracy" - Amazon reviewer
"The sourcing is questionable but the overall picture rings true" - Barnes & Noble reviewer
Many readers suggest approaching the book as political entertainment rather than serious journalism.
📚 Similar books
Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff
The first installment of Wolff's Trump presidency coverage provides essential context and background to understand the events in Siege.
A Warning by Anonymous A senior Trump administration official presents an inside account of White House operations and decision-making processes during overlapping time periods.
Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House by Cliff Sims A former Trump communications aide delivers a detailed account of internal White House dynamics from a staff perspective.
Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward Woodward's investigative reporting reveals parallel narratives about the administration's handling of key policy decisions and crises.
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton Bolton's memoir as National Security Advisor covers critical foreign policy events and internal deliberations during the Trump presidency.
A Warning by Anonymous A senior Trump administration official presents an inside account of White House operations and decision-making processes during overlapping time periods.
Team of Vipers: My 500 Extraordinary Days in the Trump White House by Cliff Sims A former Trump communications aide delivers a detailed account of internal White House dynamics from a staff perspective.
Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward Woodward's investigative reporting reveals parallel narratives about the administration's handling of key policy decisions and crises.
The Room Where It Happened by John Bolton Bolton's memoir as National Security Advisor covers critical foreign policy events and internal deliberations during the Trump presidency.
🤔 Interesting facts
🔹 The book sold over 100,000 copies in its first week despite being released with relatively little advance publicity, demonstrating the continuing public interest in Trump presidency exposés.
🔹 Michael Wolff gained unprecedented access to the White House for his previous book "Fire and Fury" by simply hanging around and being present, a technique he calls "loitering with intent."
🔹 The Mueller Report, which features prominently in the book, consisted of 448 pages and took 22 months to complete, involving interviews with approximately 500 witnesses.
🔹 Steve Bannon, one of Wolff's key sources, had already been fired from his White House position when providing insights for this book, allowing him to speak more freely about internal dynamics.
🔹 The book was published by Henry Holt and Company, the same publisher that rushed Wolff's previous Trump book to market 4 days early in defiance of Trump's attempts to block its release.