Epstein Secrets

F HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY NEW TONN EFTA00316512 Contents AUTHOR'S NOTE XI 1. BULLSEYE 1 2. THE DO-OVER 21 3. LAWYERS 38 4. HOME ALONE 50 5. ROBERT MUELLER 6o 6. MICHAEL COHEN 75 7. THE WOMEN 88 8. MICHAEL FLYNN 99 9. MIDTERMS 113 10. KUSHNER 125 11. HANNITY 1 43 12. TRUMP ABROAD 156 13. TRUMP AN

ort to confirm it with other sources or documents. In some cases, I have witnessed the events or conversations described herein. With regard to the Mueller investigation, the narrative I provide is based on internal documents given to me by sources close to the Office of the Special Counsel. Dealing w

ing of th special counsel's investigation, Trump had tried to draw a line in the sang between Mueller and Trump family finances, openly threatening Muelle if he went there. Trump's operating assumption remained that the speck- counsel was afraid of him, conscious of where and how his tolerant might en

favor. Give me your a card. Don't ask me why, just give it to me. You'll be thanking me for rest of your life:" Bannon opened his wallet and gave Priebus his American ExI card. Priebus shortly returned, handed the card back, and said, "You have legal insurance Over the next year, Bannon—a witness of

Chief of Staff John Kelly, fed up with Trump—just as Trump was f up with him—seemed surely on the way out. Kelly had joined the Wh House, replacing Reince Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff, in Aug 2017, charged with bringing management discipline to a chaotic W Wing. But by mid-fall, Trump was circumventi

ic records. The House has already threatened to hold Mr. Barr in contempt once over a separate case related to a subpoena for material connected to Robert S. Mueller III's investigation as special counsel. But in the end, lawmakers struck a deal with the attorney general and voted on a resolution that merely authorized

o a subpoena for material connected to Robert S. Mueller III's investigation as special counsel. But in th

, announced his administration's move to ban transgender service members, and he used his account to announce that he had fired his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and replaced him with John Kelly. "The president excluded the individual plaintiffs from government-controlled property when he used the blocking

nce that he had fired his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and replaced him with John Kelly. "The presiden

themselves. OOK Ok Even before word of the June 2016 meeting leaked out, Kushner’s legal team—largely assembled in a rush since the appointment of Mueller, the special counsel—had been piecing together a forensic picture of both the campaign’s Russian contacts and Kushner Companies’ finances and money t

“tough guy” lawyers. Beyond Donald Trump’s own daily antics, here was the consuming issue of the White House: the ongoing investigation directed by Robert Mueller. The father, the daughter, the son-in-law, his father, the extended family exposure, the prosecutor, the retainers looking to save their own skins, t

egic approach on the part of the president—quite an unlikely development. Meanwhile, the couple blamed everyone else in the White House. They blamed Priebus for the disarray that had produced a warlike atmosphere that propelled constant and damaging leaks, they blamed Bannon for leaking, and they blamed S

in his unquestioned certitudes. There was now a fair amount of back-of-the-classroom giggling about who had called Trump what. For Steve Mnuchin and Reince Priebus, he was an “idiot.” For Gary Cohn, he was “dumb as shit.” For H. R. McMaster he was a “dope.” The list went on. Tillerson would merely become yet an

h no prior military or government service. His election and policies sparked numerous protests. The 2017-2019 special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller established that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit the Trump campaign, but not that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coo

the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation into Trump's personal and business dealings with Russia. Crossfire Hurricane was folded into the Mueller investigation, but deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein ended the other investigation while giving the bureau the false impression that Mueller w

icials, calling them incompetent, stupid, or crazy.14391 Trump had four White House chiefs of staff, marginalizing or pushing out severa1. 1 Reince Priebus was replaced after seven months by retired Marine general John F. KellyiSi ely - resigned in December 2018 after a tumultuous tenure in which his in

o a subpoena for material connected to Robert S. Mueller III's investigation as special counsel. But in th

ic records. The House has already threatened to hold Mr. Barr in contempt once over a separate case related to a subpoena for material connected to Robert S. Mueller III's investigation as special counsel. But in the end, lawmakers struck a deal with the attorney general and voted on a resolution that merely authorized

nced his administration's move to ban transgender service members, and he used his account to announce that he had fired his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and replaced him with John Kelly. "The president excluded the individual plaintiffs from government-controlled property when he used the blocking

let the lawyers deal with it," Hicks recalled to the FBI. There are no fresh bombshells in these new summaries. The juiciest material appeared in Mueller's 448-page report on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. But the memos about Hicks's FBI sit-downs, which both occurr

to tell him that then-White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus knew about the emails. There are four redacted p

l him that then-White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus knew about the emails. There are four redacted p

o let the lawyers deal with it," Hicks recalled to the FBI. There are no fresh bombshells in these new summaries. The juiciest material appeared in Mueller's 448-page report on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. But the memos about Hicks's FBI sit-downs, which both occurre

to tell him that then-White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus knew about the emails. There are four redacted p

him that then-White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus knew about the emails. There are four redacted p

ut Democrats have yet to commit to including articles of impeachment that directly address Trump's alleged ties to Russia that were detailed in the Mueller report, or settle on how they will organize and draft their various grievances against the president." Pelosi shut down a reporter who asked her wh

ers for an in-depth exploration of his rising influence: "Mulvaney spends considerably less time with Trump than his two previous chiefs of staff, Reince Priebus and John F. Kelly. And the president has sometimes kept him out of the loop when making contentious foreign policy decisions, advisers say. At a r

, Mulvaney Page 17954 EFTA00047465 told attendees that he does not seek to control the president's tweeting, time or family, one attendee said. Priebus and Kelly had clashed with the president over his Twitter statements and the influence of his eldest daughter and her husband. "Instead, Mulvaney

House lawyers to indicate whether lawmakers are still seeking testimony from former White House counsel Don McGahn and portions of special counsel Mueller's report containing information gleaned from secret grand jury testimony. Both orders raised the issue of whether the pending appeals may be moot a

fers for an in-depth exploration of his rising influence: "Mulvaney spends considerably less time with Trump than his two previous chiefs of staff, Reince Priebus and John F. Kelly. And the president has sometimes kept him out of the loop when making contentious foreign policy decisions, advisers say. At a r

ent donor retreat in Chicago, Mulvaney told attendees that he does not seek to control the president's tweeting, time or family, one attendee said. Priebus and Kelly had clashed with the president over his Twitter statements and the influence of his eldest daughter and her husband. "Instead, Mulvaney h

is staff’s ties to Russia. If Michael Flynn had recently become the most powerful man in Washington for what he might reveal about the president, now Mueller arguably assumed that position because he had the power to make Flynn, and all other assorted Trump cronies and flunkies, squeal. Rosenstein, of cou

ive. As well, he could turn him off, and Bannon would be tactically quiet until turned on again. Kushner had neither Bannon’s policy imagination nor Priebus’s institutional ties. But, of course, he had family status, carrying its own high authority. In addition, he had billionaire status. He had cultivate

e president left the West Wing for Marine One, which was soon en route to Andrews Air Force Base. Accompanying him were Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, Reince Priebus, Hope Hicks, and Kellyanne Conway. Vice President Pence and his wife joined the group at Andrews for the brief flight on Air Force One to Harrisburg,