Credible and Convincing or Unreliably Exploitive?

What?

Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff recounts the first nine months of President Trump’s presidency. It has been met with mixed reviews from media including the left-leaning but skeptical Washington Post, and of course, one of President Trump's top Policy Advisors, Stephen Miller,  who was invited on CNN's State of the Union to discuss it.

In this 12-minute interview, State of the Union host Jake Tapper verifies allegations made in the book by asking Miller a series of questions ranging from the meeting between members of the Trump administration and Russian officials, to the extent of Steve Bannon’s involvement with the presidency, to reasons behind the firing FBI Director Jamey Comey.

Who?

Michael Wolff is an American journalist, columnist, and author of books such as White Kids, The Man Who Owns the News, and Burn Rate.  Although his writing has been categorised as contentious and refutable by his fellow journalists, his work has garnered him accolades including two National Magazine Awards and a Mirror award. 

Stephen Miller was former Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions’ communication director and US Representative Michele Bachmann’s Press Secretary before becoming Trump’s Senior Policy Advisor and Chief Speechwriter, notably writing, along with Bannon, Trump’s inaugural address. 

Why?

This interview has been circulating the news due to the heated exchange between the two with Tapper cutting off the interview after he believed Miller was evading answering his questions and wasting his viewer’s time.

Well...?

The media has been a fierce opponent of the Trump administration since he announced his decision to run for presidency. So much so, that his intellectual and mental capabilities have been repeatedly challenged and questioned. There is no doubt that Trump ignites strong reactions in his opponents and supporters – to the extent that his year in office cannot be assessed objectively.

The Trump administration needs an entire overhaul of its communications department’s strategy. Staff member like Sean Spicer, Anthony Scaramucci, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Stephen Miller have all proved that.

They are known to address the news media and the public with contempt, derision, and disdain – not including lack of transparency. This does not aid in entrusting the nation or the world.  Stephen Miller disparaging and attacking Jake Tapper – regardless of his shows and network’s coverage –  does not contest allegations or make Wolff’s book any less true. It makes you a bully.

 So...is it true?

As much as many would like the book to accurately reflect Trump as a person and President, Wolff’s unorthodox methods have not gone unnoticed in the journalism world. He is continuously noted for using unethical and sneaky strategies to get insider information, and he’s known for twisting details to fit his narrative. Even his previous book, The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch was criticised for its lack of accuracy and fabrications. Still, he remains relevant because of his willingness to say what he really thinks. Despite the critics and Wolff’s own disclaimer (below), he and journalists such as James Fallows from The Atlantic and former Hollywood Reporter co-President Janice Min, are taking it as confirmation of what they already knew.

Figure 1. Excerpt of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, Author's Note, p.9