Axios' Jonathan Swan distilled key lessons for corporate leaders from the new book 'Regime Change,' offering a rare window into how President Trump thinks. According to Swan, Trump's singular focus is being seen as a 'Great Man of world history,' not on winning midterms or boosting his domestic popularity. Executives seeking his attention should frame proposals around building literal or figurative monuments to him, Swan wrote.
A six-person loyalist circle operates discreetly around Trump, sometimes using the Situation Room to hatch domestic plans without leaks. Swan identifies this inner group as including Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This 'oligarchy' manages much of the president's behind-the-scenes maneuvering, according to the book.
The reporting draws from 'Regime Change,' co-authored by Maggie Haberman and Swan, which reportedly sparked a leak hunt inside the West Wing. Swan noted that Trump's staff and friendly historians feed his historical ambitions. The book presents Trump as governing through a combination of public outbursts and calculated private sessions with a tight-knit cadre.
For CEOs, the implication is clear: traditional political incentives like party loyalty or electoral strategy hold little sway. Successfully navigating the administration requires appealing directly to Trump's personal legacy drive. Ignoring his inner circle's shadow governance risks losing access to actual decision-making.
Swan acknowledged that much of Trump's behavior appears contradictory—bluster in public, careful plotting in private. The challenge for executives is reading which mode will surface on any given day.