The Economist reads | Donald Trump

What to read to understand Donald Trump

Five handy books on the man who remains at the centre of American politics

US President Donald Trump looks on during a ceremony presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to wrestler Dan Gable in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on December 7, 2020. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

IT IS SOME irony that a man who is known to detest reading turned out to be a godsend to the book business. (When asked on Fox News in 2017 what he read, Donald Trump answered reassuringly: “Actually, I’m looking at a book.”) America’s former, and perhaps future, president gave rise to a blizzard of best-sellers across genres: tell-alls by family and former staff, post mortems from political scientists, liberal screeds and conservative defences. Expect more. Mr Trump remains at the centre of American politics and has a firm grip on the Republican party. He faces multiple criminal probes, including into his mishandling of classified material after leaving the White House. Most pundits think there is a decent chance that he will run again in 2024. Here are five books to understand his presidency and political appeal.

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