A recent book by two New York Times journalists reveals some excerpts from Trump’s tenure
US President Donald Trump has compared himself to some of the most fearsome leaders in history, including Mao, Stalin, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Napoleon and Hitler, a book published by New York Times reporters revealed in excerpts reported by CNN.Trump told New York Times reporters that he received a two-page document from a “historian” saying that each of the other leaders “does not have a global reach” while Trump’s authority is “not” local. It turns out that the document was not written by a historian, but by golfer Gary Player’s longtime companion, who shared his assessment with Trump about golf in Florida.“These leaders maintained power through fear,” Trump said, according to the book. “Who would do something like that? Right?”
Trump described Netanyahu as a “con man”
The book reveals Trump’s hot and cold feelings toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump told an Israel skeptic in the first months of his administration that he wanted “no part” of Netanyahu’s war with Iran. He told another adviser that Netanyahu is a “con man.”Trump has since added the phrases “crazy lunatic” and “no fucking judgment” to his list of insults at the Israeli leader, reports said.At a meeting in the White House Situation Room in February, Netanyahu presented the Israeli case for going to war with Iran, which Trump ultimately decided to support, according to the book.
Other excerpts
The book also talks about Trump’s suspicions towards Ukraine and its leader, Volodymyr Zelensky. After a notable argument in the Oval Office between Trump, Zelensky, and Vice President J.D. Vance, Trump thought the confrontation was “better than good,” according to the book.Trump’s harsh criticism of his government has also been noted. In April 2025, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was trying to convince Trump that tariffs could not put American automakers at a significant disadvantage.
Trump told Lutnick that he “used to be tough” but had become “weak.”“You used to be a killer, Howard,” Trump said. “And now you have your beautiful wife, and your big house, and you’re so soft. And you’re s***.”The book details Trump’s campaign to make the life of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell miserable. During a staff meeting in July, Trump said of Powell: “I want to bust his fucking testicle… Can we stop the construction? I just want to bust his fucking testicle.”
Fuck him.”Trump aides then hatched a plan to appoint Trump allies to the National Capital Planning Committee to target the renovation of the Federal Reserve building.During an Oval Office meeting with Trump, Elon Musk, and Tucker Carlson, Musk was “astounded” by the golden pager Netanyahu gifted Trump in honor of Israel’s explosive 2024 pager attack against Hezbollah. The book states that Trump “regaled” them with graphic details of the damage and wounds they sustained in this attack, including “mutilated genitals and missing hands.”
