On Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in an unexpected admission, President Donald Trump confirmed that his advisors might have interacted with author Michael Wolff for his new book. This comes despite the administration’s earlier refutations.
Trump made this admission during a tirade on Truth Social against Wolff’s upcoming book, “All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America,” which was released on Feb. 25, 2025. The book includes several controversial claims about the president and his close associates.
In his Truth Social post, Trump stated, “He called me many times trying to set up a meeting, but I never called him back because I didn’t want to give him the credibility of an interview. Others in the Administration were also called, they reported his calls, and likewise, did not talk to him. I assume, however, he was able to speak to a small number of people, but not meaningfully.”
This admission, suggesting that some of his aides might have communicated with Wolff, appears to contradict the administration’s blanket dismissals of the book’s content. The White House has simultaneously intensified its attack on Wolff’s credibility.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung issued a severe statement in response to the book. He criticizes Wolff for routinely inventing stories from his imagination, attributing it to Wolff’s severe “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
The book contains several shocking claims, including that First Lady Melania Trump despises her husband and that the president feared dying in a plane previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein.
Furthermore, the book reportedly discloses that Wolff had a lengthy conversation with Epstein about Trump in August 2017. Epstein described himself as Trump’s “closest friend.”
These revelations, reported first by The Daily Beast, include claims that Trump was on the brink of breaking down following an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. The book also reportedly conveys Trump’s confusion over Elon Musk’s conduct during the campaign.
According to the book, Trump was puzzled by Musk’s awkward stage entrance at a campaign rally and criticized his attire. Musk, the book alleges, was seen wandering alone at the rally, and was offered pretzel sticks when he felt hungry.
The book also suggests that Trump contemplated choosing a female running mate, including Fox News hosts Maria Bartiromo and Harris Faulkner, and that Musk’s support hinged on Trump choosing J.D. Vance.
Trump predicted in his Sunday post that Wolff’s latest work would be discredited. Wolff’s 2018 bestseller, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” sold millions of copies worldwide and featured Steve Bannon as one of its sources, who later regretted his participation.
Trump further challenged Wolff’s claim of having sources, demanding that they be revealed. He also criticized Wolff for derogatorily referring to his associates during the election, arguing that if they were as bad as portrayed, he wouldn’t have made it to the White House.
Trump ended his post by labeling Wolff as propagating “FAKE NEWS” and called him a “LOSER,” advising his followers not to waste their time or money on the book.
The New York Times’ review of the book portrays Trump as a wronged fighter who ran a strong campaign to reclaim the presidency in 2024. The review suggests that Wolff’s reporting style, which relies on anonymous sources and word-for-word transcripts, is well-suited for covering Trump’s unconventional presidency.
Among other things, Wolff’s book covers Trump’s return to his Florida golf club after his 2020 loss, the January 6th Capitol riot, and his successful 2024 campaign. In response to these portions, Trump’s staff have dismissed the book as fictional and inaccurate.
The book also alleges that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner refused to sign a memo stating that Donald Trump was not antisemitic amid criticism of his stance on Israel.
This is not the first time Trump has been portrayed unfavorably in tell-all books. Previous works by former administration officials, including John Bolton, Mark Esper, William Barr, and Stephanie Grisham, have also criticized Trump’s presidency. Many of these officials initially supported Trump before parting ways with him and criticizing his actions, particularly concerning the 2020 election and the January 6th Capitol insurrection.
According to the publisher, “All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America” offers a behind-the-scenes account of what it describes as the most unpredictable campaign in U.S. history. The publisher asserts the book details Trump’s relentless pursuit of power, his attacks on prosecutors and judges, and his mockery of political opponents, including the sitting president.