“Dynamite behind every door”
A recurring metaphor is used to refer to the always-present potential of a major disturbance or crisis which can upset the entire applecart of the Presidency. As the book draws to a close, however, Woodward points to dynamite actually being a metaphor for Trump himself since so many of his problems have been self-inflicted.
Russia
Russia has always been an Achilles heel for Trump. Despite the best efforts by the administration to forward a few tepid policy decisions as proof that the he is “tough on Russia” the inescapable fact remains that Trump has never said one bad word about Vladimir Putin and, indeed, has taken Putin’s side against his own government’s. That Putin clearly has plans to reorganize the actual tough treatment he and his country did receive from Trump’s predecessors is plainly put in one of the book’s most chilling moments when Putin explains to Rex Tillerson how America did not win the Cold War and how the Trump administration had better understand their feelings toward American treatment in the past:
“Putin feels like we treat Russia like a banana republic.”
Who’s the Puppeteer Here?
Trump enjoys presenting an image of controlling everybody through force and intimidation. Woodward’s book counters that self-image with the reality that Trump is inordinately easy to manipulate and it works so well because he does not have a clue that he is the one whose strings are being pulled:
“The Fox News network, especially opinion broadcaster Sean Hannity, had a Svengali-like influence on Trump that Rosenstein privately labeled `malicious.’”
Trump Being Trump
One of the sayings which quickly arose in the wake of Trump ascending to the Presidency is that, whenever he says something absolutely insane to the majority of the American public, his supporters dismiss the seriousness of it by claiming it is just “Trump being Trump.” Woodward frames this behavior both metaphorically and with more complexity:
“Trump is a living paradox, capable of being friendly and appealing. He can also be savage and his treatment of people is often unbelievable.”
The “Kind” of Person?
Marsha Coats, wife of Trump’s one-time Director of National Intelligence, may deserve the honor (or would be that dishonor?) of engaging metaphorical language to describe Trump that is the most kindhearted with the lightest touch and in which there is the least amount of space differentiating what qualifies as literal and what qualifies as figurative:
“He’s the kind of person that would inspire crazy people.”
