Will ex-president Donald Trump get a book deal for his White House memoir?

United States President Donald Trump infected with Covid-19

Now that we have President-Elect Joe Biden and his incoming administration, there’s only one thing I’m not looking forward to seeing: the We Were Just Following Orders crowd scheme their way into post-Trump jobs and book deals. Even during the fascist tragedies of the past four years, whenever one of those Trumper losers left the administration, they were already getting book deals and jobs at CNN. I’m sure that will happen in January too – these idiots, racists, bigots, misogynists responsible for four years of dumbf–kery will suddenly be “CNN analysts” or they’ll get million-dollar publishing deals. Keep your eye on all of that. There’s also a question about whether Donald Bigly will get some kind of “presidential memoir” book deal. Which is laughable because the man is illiterate and he didn’t even write his pre-presidency books.

With Barack Obama’s latest book hitting shelves Nov. 17, there’s buzz in politics — and publishing — that President Trump is being courted for a new tome on his time in the White House. But insiders have differing views about how rich a deal Trump could command. One source familiar with the President told Page Six on Tuesday: “Trump is being bombarded with book and TV deals that could be worth a staggering $100 million.” Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama inked a reported $65 million deal with Crown in 2017.

The source said Trump was also simultaneously being courted by far-right TV outlets, and, “book and TV deals are plan-B if he doesn’t win the vote war. Translate 70 million votes into viewers and record book sales. All the anti-Trump books have made big bucks, so this from the Donald is a surefire hit.”

A top book source threw cold water on those overheated estimates, saying the numbers “don’t sound accurate.” (An AP report on Tuesday said that editors at Crown and Knopf were coy when asked about whether they’d sign Trump, or even meet with him.)

But, “One publisher to watch is Simon & Schuster,” the book insider told Page Six. “They published [Trump’s] last book. CEO Jonathan Karp published several of his books there, and at Random House, and went to Trump’s wedding to Melania.” (Trump’s most recent book, “Crippled America,” was put out via Simon & Schuster’s conservative Threshold Editions.)

New Simon & Schuster publisher Dana Canedy told the New Yorker in July as to whether she’d publish a Trump tome: “Oh, he’s the President. Everyone who leaves the White House has one or more books in them and that becomes part of public history. I think that would be not only appropriate but important.”

Simon & Schuster is also Hillary Clinton’s longtime publisher, and released Bob Woodward’s last two Trump books, plus headline-grabbing, Trump-bashing memoirs by John Bolton and Mary L. Trump. Hachette Book Group also has a conservative book arm, Center Street, which has published Donald Trump Jr. A rep for the White House did not immediately comment.

[From Page Six]

This is disgusting, all of it. The thing that strikes me is that hardcore Republicans have carefully curated their alternative reality, their little bubble of conspiracies and bullsh-t, and then built a media and publishing arm to reinforce their delusions. I could absolutely see one of those conservative publishing houses give Trump a book deal – perhaps with a built-in ghostwriter – but let’s be clear: we’re boycotting any legitimate, mainstream publisher who gives Trump a book deal, right?

United States President Donald Trump infected with Covid-19

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

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41 Responses to “Will ex-president Donald Trump get a book deal for his White House memoir?”

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  1. Becks1 says:

    Well, the 100 million sounds overblown, especially considering he wont write it himself, but I think if its even 50 million, the publishers would be overinflating his importance post-presidency. The majority of Americans want him to go away. He may end up with a TV deal, and I’m sure he’ll get a book deal, but I cant think of why anyone would want to read it. The Trump post-mortem books sold well because they detailed how BSC the administration was.

    • Mumzy says:

      Agreed — he definitely will not write it, and based on what WH briefers have said, he doesn’t have the discipline to give such an effort focus and attention. So someone friendly to their views will write it for him, using his version of what happened. One of his kids (Ivanka) will be charged with reviewing it and making sure it says whatever he wants it to, and then verbally summarize it for him in tiny bits (or a pictorial summary). I feel certain that Trump himself will never read every sentence in that memoir. His fans will spend their money on the book, and the press will give him plenty of unwarranted, but free publicity, because of the outrageous lies told within. And then Trump will forever brag about how the book he wrote is the best selling best words book of all time … selling 3 trillion copies in every language—just in pre-orders alone!

    • Agirlandherdog says:

      So this is going to sound really ignorant, but does his fanbase even read non-fiction? Like I can’t imagine his hard core magat following rushing out to buy his (absolutely ghostwritten) book.

  2. Michael says:

    I can only imagine how bonkers Trump’s memoir would be. Full of lies and reinventing reality to make himself the hero. It would be pure fiction but his MAGAts would buy it anyway and probably believe every word. So it will happen as soon as he can find a ghost writer who is willing to take no credit

  3. Digital Unicorn says:

    It will be full of blank pages so he can sign it with a sharpie for his cultists.

  4. nettie says:

    Who at this point wants to give this fool a voice after he is gone? Just ignore him and stop giving him what he craves. Deny him the attention and stop covering his rants. Nothing that he says is the truth in any case. This would be simply the ravings of a madman and a work of fiction at best.

  5. Lemons says:

    But it will be all lies. A complete work of fiction. So, why?

    Personally, I’m not interested. But his fans like reading fiction and pretending it’s reality so I guess there’s a market.

    • Lorelei says:

      I don’t think he should get any deals of any kind or make so much as one thin dime once he’s out of office; I hope he’s in prison and won’t be given the opportunity. That said, it would be very funny (and totally appropriate) for any memoir he “writes” to be labeled as fiction.

      In an ideal world, no reputable publisher would want anything to do with him and he’d end up having to self-publish. I’d like to believe that millions of people would boycott any publisher who gives him a deal, but I’ve also kind of given up hope that anyone will do the right or even remotely decent thing if there’s money to be made.

  6. HeatherC says:

    He will absolutely get some sort of book deal because he still unfortunately has an audience. It will be ghost written like Art of the Deal was and all his cultists, whether they can actually read or not, will buy it in droves to display next to their confederate flags and MAGA hats. Then he’ll make money at GOP and CPAC events setting up a booth to sign said book for $75 a pop, $100 for personalization.

  7. Gina says:

    He’ll take the check and never right the book which will turn into one of his many lawsuits.
    By write the book, higher a ghost writer which also will never happen.
    Also, sign me up for the boycott. I support that!

  8. Nina says:

    The Art of the Steal: How I Delegitimized the Election and Destroyed Democracy

  9. WTF says:

    He will definitely get a deal. It makes me sick to my stomach. Also, I think people are overestimating the number of people that will buy such a book. He got 70 Million votes. Subtract from that the dummies that obviously don’t read any books, the people that voted in their financial interests but really detest him, the people that vote Republican no matter what and the number is not nearly as impressive.

  10. Ellie says:

    I think he will write it (with assistance), and it will sell more than any book in the year of its release. I don’t know why people keep underestimating his popularity! More importantly, he is controversial and most people today can not resist controversy. Opponents will slam it and that will drive up sales among his diehards and the curious. People swear up and down that they hate the British Royal Family but they give The Crown and every story about them endless attention. It will be the same with this book.

    And some of what he says will be true. No one in Washington is an angel. He could spill dirt on many folks. He’s clearly not afraid of lawsuits, and why should he be? Consequences for Washington insiders are rare and gentle.

    • shanaynay says:

      I for one wouldn’t want to read a book of lies and fraudulent BS that DT and his Administration have been shouting from the top of their lungs. We’ve had to deal and live with it for the last four years. I firmly believe anybody with half a brain, would steer clear of anything that was published by DT, his family and/or Administration.

      DT needs to slither under the bottom of the swamp that he came from. There’s a special place in H E double hockey sticks for him and the rest of the clan/klan

  11. Truthiness says:

    I’d rather light my hair on fire than purchase a book about Trump or his administration. Living through this is punishment enough.

  12. shanaynay says:

    Personally, I feel that any publisher who would be willing to make a book deal with DT or any of the lying Republicans deserves to have their credentials revoked. We all know, well a huge majority of us knows these books would be full of bulls*^t and lies. Who in their right minds would want to give any of these fools a book deal? I’d have to question the credibility and lack of integrity of anybody who would do that.

  13. janey says:

    I hope he writes it from prison, I imagine him sitting on a stool in the corner of some dank cell spewing lies and racism with Ghislaine there in the other corner two-finger typing it for all eternity. one can dream…

  14. Sumodo1 says:

    Lyndon B Johnson died 3 years after leaving the presidency. Maybe Trump will finally eat one cheeseburger too many.

  15. Jennifer says:

    If so, hopefully the publisher doesn’t forget to categorize it under fiction.

  16. Anna S says:

    Usually, these books are valuable because they tell the behind the scenes stuff we don’t know about. They spill the tea. With Trump, he did it all out in the open. I’m sure people will buy it, but it won’t be interesting and we won’t learn anything new, like past people in office. Because he doesn’t have feelings (or wouldn’t write them down) so we’ll only get a regurgitation of his greatest hits. “I’m the best ever” and “Everyone is out to get me.”

  17. Dee says:

    I’ve heard rumors of a TV show. Mark Burnett from The Apprentice days.

  18. Sean says:

    Will he be able to write a book though? I still believe he and his family will attempt to flee the country.

    • Lorelei says:

      @Sean he really has no choice; NY’s AG is ready and waiting to indict him (and probably other Trump family members) and she does *not* mess around. My guess (🤞🙏🏻) is that he’s been under surveillance since election night in case he tries to flee. Even then, his options are very limited since he needs to go somewhere without extradition.

  19. Rapunzel says:

    Trump’s book is already written. I saw a copy. Here it is in its entirety:

    I WON THE ELECTION! I won the election! Crooked Hillary. Sleepy Joe. I won the election! I WON THE ELECTION! Angry Kamala. Obamagate. I WON THE ELECTION!

    There you have it. Literary masterpiece.

  20. Amelie says:

    I won’t boycott the publisher. All of the major publishers have published controversial books from controversial figures. If I boycotted every publisher, there would be no books left to read from anyone. I just won’t buy the book. Simple. Or bother to read it. I’m sure whatever book he “writes” –we all know it will be entirely ghostwritten probably with help from Ivanka–will be briefly a bestseller but it won’t have staying power. But I sort of doubt this will happen. Trump has the attention span of a gnat.

    • shanaynay says:

      Personally I believe any publisher that publishes his book would be selling their souls to the devil. If they could sink so low, in my opinion, their books aren’t worth buying.

  21. Midnight@theOasis says:

    Trump will do anything to get money and if a publisher dangled an offer in front of him, Trump will grab it. The book would be written by a ghost writer and full of lies about what a great President he was…blah..blah..blah. Off topic, I just read that Trump has canceled going to Mar A Lago for Thanksgiving…he’s going to remain at the White House. Oh please, let him barricade himself in and refuse to leave. I really want to see him forcibly removed from the White House.

  22. Zaya says:

    The maga crowd aren’t voracious readers. So will there even be an audience for a ghostwritten book? Those 71 million votes aren’t gonna translate to big sales.

    • Deering24 says:

      Hmmm. This puts the recent news that Murdoch just bid to buy Simon and Schuster in an interesting light.

  23. Thirtynine says:

    I don’t get all this discussion of deals and books and tv shows. I thought he was going to be tried for his crimes as soon as he is out of the White House, and go to jail. I know Biden has intimated he’s not thinking of that, but I had presumed he is downplaying it so as not to frighten Trump into even more rash actions in his last days in office. When the time comes, justice must be seen to be done. Hopefully, I am missing the point here somewhere.

  24. Deering24 says:

    Hmmm. This puts the recent news that Murdoch just bid to buy Simon and Schuster in an interesting light.