More than a thousand interviews, confidential conversations and behind-the-scenes accounts form the foundation of Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, a detailed examination of Donald Trump’s second term by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. The book offers a portrait of an administration shaped by rapid decisions, personal loyalty and a presidency that the authors describe as operating increasingly through instinct rather than traditional institutional processes.
The reporting, reviewed in The Observer, reconstructs the first 18 months of Trump’s second term, revisiting major events including the “Liberation Day” tariffs, the creation of the migrant detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz, clashes with cultural institutions, cuts to USAID, tensions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pardons for January 6 defendants and the decision to launch military action against Iran.
According to the book’s reporting, many decisions inside the administration were closely tied to Trump’s personal reactions and preferences. The authors describe a White House environment where challenging the president’s instincts became increasingly difficult, with officials often deferring to his judgment even on major issues of foreign policy and national security.
The book presents Trump’s return to office as fundamentally different from his first presidency. During his first term, institutional figures and experienced officials often acted as a restraint on his impulses. After leaving office, facing legal challenges and surviving an assassination attempt during the 2024 campaign, Trump returned to power with a stronger sense of personal political authority and a clearer focus on loyalty among those around him.
One example highlighted in the book is Trump’s approach to selecting his second-term cabinet. Loyalty became a central factor in evaluating potential appointments, with personal allegiance often weighing heavily in decisions. The authors describe a scene at Mar-a-Lago where Trump reviewed potential nominees through presentations prepared by transition officials. When Kristi Noem’s name appeared as a possible homeland security secretary, concerns were raised over past controversies, but Trump responded by emphasizing her loyalty. She was later appointed and removed from the position 13 months afterward.
The book also explores Trump’s relationships with powerful figures within his administration and political movement. Vice-president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio are portrayed as competing figures with different approaches to maintaining influence within the Republican coalition. Vance’s efforts to address concerns among Trump’s political base and Rubio’s role in foreign policy decisions are presented as part of an ongoing struggle for influence around the president.
Beyond policy decisions, Regime Change focuses on the personalities surrounding Trump and the culture that developed inside the White House. Communications director Steven Cheung is described as a central figure in the administration’s aggressive media strategy, overseeing online messaging and political attacks. The authors examine how the combative language associated with Trump increasingly spread through government communications channels.
The reporting also examines Trump’s relationships with advisers, allies and former supporters. The authors describe moments of personal frustration, including Trump’s reaction after Elon Musk publicly criticised one of his legislative priorities. According to the book, Trump responded by saying: “They always leave me. They always do this. This is why I can’t have friends.”
The second part of the discussion surrounding Trump’s presidency focuses on the preservation of historical records and the future of the proposed Donald J Trump Presidential Library. Plans for the facility, including images showing a large aircraft display and a gold-coloured statue of the president, have drawn attention, but historians have emphasised that presidential libraries serve a broader purpose beyond public exhibitions.
The US presidential library system was created to preserve the records of administrations and provide public access to the documents that shape historical understanding. Under the Presidential Records Act of 1978, official presidential records belong to the American people and are preserved through the National Archives and Records Administration.
The system developed after concerns over the loss of presidential papers from earlier administrations. President Franklin D Roosevelt established the first presidential library model, and the network eventually expanded to include institutions connected to presidents across the country, often located in their home states or at universities.
These archives contain official documents, photographs, recordings and digital records, alongside personal papers and historical artefacts. Their purpose is to allow researchers and citizens to examine presidential decisions and evaluate administrations over time.
The preservation of presidential records has become a point of renewed debate during Trump’s second term. A memorandum from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel questioned aspects of the Presidential Records Act, stating that the administration did not regard the law as constitutional. Critics of that position argue that presidential records are public property and essential to government transparency.
A legal challenge has been filed by historical and accountability organisations seeking to protect access to presidential records. The dispute centres on whether future generations will have full access to documents created during Trump’s presidency.
Together, the reporting on Regime Change and the debate over presidential archives highlight two interconnected issues: how power is exercised in the present and how it will be remembered in the future. Trump’s second administration has placed renewed focus on the relationship between presidential authority, institutional limits and the preservation of historical records.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the question of how administrations are documented and judged remains central to debates over accountability and democratic governance.
