At War with Ourselves Book Summary - At War with Ourselves Book explained in key points
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At War with Ourselves summary

H. R. McMaster

My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House

3.9 (97 ratings)
19 mins

Brief summary

At War with Ourselves by H. R. McMaster examines how strategic miscalculations, leadership failures, and cognitive biases shape American foreign policy, providing insightful analysis on improving national security and global strategy.

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    At War with Ourselves
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    The call of duty

    It’s February 2017, and the White House is in turmoil: President Trump’s national security advisor, Michael Flynn, has resigned after a mere 24 days. The President is desperate. He needs to project stability and defeat the negative headlines – and to find someone who can quickly get the administration back on track.

    Enter H. R. McMaster – a decorated, no-nonsense general known on both sides of the aisle for his intellect and integrity. He has no idea that the next months of his life will put his skills to the test in ways he never thought possible. 

    It all starts off with a call. McMaster picks up, and on the other end of the line is the White House deputy chief of staff, who invites him to Mar-a-Lago for an interview with President Trump. Less than 24 hours later, McMaster is sitting across from Trump in his lavish Florida residence. This meeting will end up changing his life forever.

    The interview gets off to a quintessentially Trumpian start. As McMaster takes his seat, the president points to a pile of newspapers on his desk. He tells McMaster that he’s never seen anyone get such glowing praise in the press. Turning to CIA Director Mike Pompeo, he jokes that not even Pompeo gets such good press.

    Niceties aside, the meeting starts to take a more serious tone. Trump starts to grill McMaster on pressing issues – North Korea, China, ISIS. True to his no-nonsense reputation, McMaster gives straight-to-the-point answers. Something seems to click with Trump, especially after the general mentions the importance of a broad military strategy, one that also takes diplomatic and economic pressure into account. It’s clear: effective strategy isn’t solely about military power.

    As the meeting begins to wind down, Trump leans back with a satisfied look. “When can you start?” he asks. McMaster is caught off guard, but years of military training allow him to keep his composure. Right away, he says. And just like that, McMaster is thrust into one of the most important advisory positions in the world – national security advisor to the president of the United States. 

    Almost exactly 24 hours after this meeting, McMaster entered the White House for the first time in his new role. Just over a year later, relieved of his position, he would exit the building. During his tenure, he would ruffle plenty of feathers. And, ultimately, this would cost him his job.

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    What is At War with Ourselves about?

    At War with Ourselves (2024) takes you on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Trump White House. You’ll discover how chaos and power struggles shaped H. R. McMaster’s one-year tenure as national security advisor, and how he tried to advance the nation’s long-term strategic interests.

    Who should read At War with Ourselves?

    • Americans interested in what happened during the Trump administration 
    • Politics junkies interested in U.S. governance
    • Students of public policy, history, or international relations

    About the Author

    R. McMaster is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and author. He served as National Security Advisor from 2017 to 2018 under President Donald Trump. Other titles he’s authored include Dereliction of Duty and Battlegrounds

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