Former President Donald Trump has become a popular interview subject for authors writing about him and his administration, according to Axios.
Trump has granted at least 22 interviews for 17 different books since leaving office, with discussions mostly on the record for use when the books are published, Axios reported Monday.
"If you thought there was no more to know, it's been mind-blowing," former ABC News White House correspondent Jonathan Karl, among those who recently interviewed Trump for a book, told Axios.
Axios sources said Trump has given authors many "nuggets" that "will definitely make news" during interviews at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. Although the former president makes every interrogator feel like he or she is getting something new, the report said there's "quite a bit of overlap in the 'scoops.'"
Trump's staff and advisors — who refer to the former president as "POTUS 45" — understand that most of the books will "paint a mixed picture, at best," according to Axios. Still, Trump has been working to charm questioners.
"Offering Diet Cokes and dressed in suit and tie, Trump spent an average of about 90 minutes with each of the authors, some of whom were invited to stay and eat dinner at Mar-a-Lago (although not with him)," Axios reported.
Trump personally decided whom to see, Axios said, with investigative journalist Bob Woodward and The Washington Post’s Robert Costa being denied interviews.
With several publishing-date logjams in the coming 18 months, authors are competing against one another. Michael Wolff's "Landslide" is set to begin the onslaught of Trump books on July 27. Wolff wrote "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," which was released in 2018.
Axios said New York Times Washington correspondent Maggie Haberman's book, due next year, is the book many Trump insiders are awaiting most eagerly.
Karl, whose first Trump book, "Front Row at the Trump Show," was a New York Times bestseller, spent five hours at Mar-a-Lago, including about 90 minutes on the record with Trump, according to Axios. He also has interviewed numerous Trump Cabinet members.
Axios said Trump has not finished with interviews for books. A session with Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs was upcoming, and several authors might be granted a second visit.
So far, five authors received two interviews each. They included Wolff, Haberman, former Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway, Wall Street Journal's Michael Bender, whose book is scheduled for Aug. 10, and The Federalist's Mollie Hemingway, whose "Rigged" is due Sept. 21.
Axios said the authors who have gotten an interview with Trump are: Karl, The Washington Post's Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig; The New Yorker’s Susan Glasser and New York Times reporter Peter Baker; Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns, both of the New York Times; Politico’s Ryan Lizza and New York magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi; Washington Examiner's David Drucker; New York Post's Miranda Devine — whose "Laptop from Hell," about Hunter Biden is coming Sept. 7; N.Y. Times' Jeremy Peters; former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer — whose "Broken," about the press in the Trump era and beyond will be released in 2022; Variety's Ramin Setoodeh, whose book is about "The Apprentice;" and The Federalist's Ben Weingarten, writing on U.S.-China policy.
Since leaving office, Trump mostly has expressed his thoughts through released statements, and via television interviews with Newsmax and Fox News.
A recent Politico report said Trump planned to run again in 2024 as long as his health remains good.
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