Trump White House braces as senior US official writes 'tell-all' book

A "tell-all" book is to be released next month by a person described as an anonymous senior official of President Donald Trump's administration.

The author is the same person who wrote an opinion article last year for The New York Times, claiming to be part of a "resistance" against Trump inside the government, according to the book's publishing company.

When contacted by VOA on Tuesday, the publicity director for Twelve Books, Paul Samuelson, declined to comment on whether the author remains in the Trump administration.

The book, titled "A Warning," is set for a Nov. 19 release and "provides an unprecedented behind-the-scenes portrait of the Trump presidency," according to Grand Central Publishing, a division of the Hachette Book Group, which owns the boutique Twelve Books imprint that publishes only a dozen books every year.

"Picking up from where those first words of warning left off, this explosive book offers a shocking, firsthand account of President Trump and his record," according to the publisher's statement.

"The author will remain anonymous, their identity a secret," according to the publisher, which adds the author took no advance fee for writing the book and plans to donate a substantial portion of any royalties to nonprofit organizations "that focus on government accountability and on supporting those who stand up for truth in repressive countries around the world."

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham responded Tuesday with a terse and sarcastic comment.

"It takes a lot of conviction and bravery to write a whole book anonymously."

VOA asked Samuelson if the author would be doing any sort of virtual book tour by answering questions submitted by the media or members of the public.

"No," the publicist replied. "The author will remain anonymous."

The publication of the official's op-ed piece nearly a year ago prompted an intense guessing game in Washington about the author's identity. Despite the flurry of speculation, no solid clues emerged.

The author is working with a pair of Washington, D.C., literary agents who represented fired Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey and former White House aide Cliff Sims for their memoirs about their time in the Trump administration.

The anonymous official, in the September 2018 newspaper opinion piece, described Trump as an "impetuous, adversarial, petty and ineffective" leader.

The official, in the column, said "many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump's more misguided impulses until he is out of office."

The president fiercely reacted to the article, calling the author "gutless."

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One last November, Trump said the anonymity of the author raised serious concerns.

"Supposing I have a high-level national security meeting, and he has got a clearance ... and he goes into a high-level meeting concerning China or Russia or North Korea or something, and this guy goes in," said Trump. "I don't want him at those meetings."

White House officials earlier on Tuesday appeared to have been caught by surprise. One administration senior official, when informed by VOA about the book, paused for a few seconds before offering a one-word reaction: "Interesting."