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Washington Is Burning: Corruption and Lies in The Age of Trump
A devastating account of contemporary American military folly, political dysfunction, and corruption by the Washington editor of Harper’s Magazine
During the war of 1812 British Admiral George Cockburn fought his way to Washington, DC and torched the White House, the Capitol, and much of official Washington. Cockburn became the most hated man in America, vilified in the press as the “great bandit.” Here, his descendant Andrew Cockburn—longtime Washington editor of Harper’s Magazine—sets fire to our pieties about contemporary Washington, focusing on the spectacular folly, greed, and corruption that define American politics.
Cockburn charts the hidden hands that really control the US government, including the bureaucrats and courtiers who keep things the way they like them, easily repelling feeble attempts by reformers to change Washington. He is withering on the American military bureaucracy and defense industry that is constantly calling for increased budgets and spending. After wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, today the Pentagon has sought fresh rewards in inflating the threat from China, deploying time-tested techniques to boost the budget including the invocation of supposedly superior enemy weapons development.
As Cockburn writes, the American empire is either at the start of a new age or tumbling into final decline. With Trump returned to the White House, Washington Is Burning is must-read account of how Washington really works.
During the war of 1812 British Admiral George Cockburn fought his way to Washington, DC and torched the White House, the Capitol, and much of official Washington. Cockburn became the most hated man in America, vilified in the press as the “great bandit.” Here, his descendant Andrew Cockburn—longtime Washington editor of Harper’s Magazine—sets fire to our pieties about contemporary Washington, focusing on the spectacular folly, greed, and corruption that define American politics.
Cockburn charts the hidden hands that really control the US government, including the bureaucrats and courtiers who keep things the way they like them, easily repelling feeble attempts by reformers to change Washington. He is withering on the American military bureaucracy and defense industry that is constantly calling for increased budgets and spending. After wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, today the Pentagon has sought fresh rewards in inflating the threat from China, deploying time-tested techniques to boost the budget including the invocation of supposedly superior enemy weapons development.
As Cockburn writes, the American empire is either at the start of a new age or tumbling into final decline. With Trump returned to the White House, Washington Is Burning is must-read account of how Washington really works.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2026
About the author
Andrew Cockburn
39 books71 followersAndrew Cockburn is the Washington Editor of Harper's magazine and the author of many articles and books on national security, including the New York Times Editor's Choice Rumsfeld and The Threat, which destroyed the myth of Soviet military superiority underpinning the Cold War. He is a regular opinion contributor to the Los Angeles Times and has written for, among others, the New York Times, National Geographic and the London Review of Books.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 17, 2025
Washington Is Burning by Andrew Cockburn is a collection of his previously published essays, many with brief updates attached at the end, that demonstrate how the government (dys)functions.
While many of the essays are on topics only tangential to Trump's dismantling of the government in favor of authoritarian rule (the difference between governing and ruling sums it up), they all illustrate how the operation of governing has always been subverted by less than honest or reputable people. And there is no one less honest or reputable than Trump.
The second essay lays out in detail the powers that, though initially created at various times for very specific purposes, have been intentionally misconstrued and gathered together so a President knows that he doesn't have to serve the people if he doesn't want to. Trump is not the first President to abuse these powers, though you can argue that most previous abuses have been done with good, if misguided, intentions. The same can't be said of Trump's massive and widespread abuses.
The essays that are about other topics of government and military abuse serve to show how so many people and governmental organizations have only their self-interest in mind, regardless of cost, both economic and of human lives. Taken together, it helps the reader to understand why this government, at this time, is largely unwilling to defend the Constitution. They are getting their benefits even if the country sinks while they do so.
These essays are not all from Harper's, where Cockburn was the longtime Washington editor. These were published initially in various publications, so even if you read Harper's religiously you may well be unfamiliar with many of these essays.
Recommended for readers who want some background to what is happening and why. Each essay is informative even if you don't want to make the connection to our current situation, though in the Epilogue Cockburn makes it all about here and now.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
While many of the essays are on topics only tangential to Trump's dismantling of the government in favor of authoritarian rule (the difference between governing and ruling sums it up), they all illustrate how the operation of governing has always been subverted by less than honest or reputable people. And there is no one less honest or reputable than Trump.
The second essay lays out in detail the powers that, though initially created at various times for very specific purposes, have been intentionally misconstrued and gathered together so a President knows that he doesn't have to serve the people if he doesn't want to. Trump is not the first President to abuse these powers, though you can argue that most previous abuses have been done with good, if misguided, intentions. The same can't be said of Trump's massive and widespread abuses.
The essays that are about other topics of government and military abuse serve to show how so many people and governmental organizations have only their self-interest in mind, regardless of cost, both economic and of human lives. Taken together, it helps the reader to understand why this government, at this time, is largely unwilling to defend the Constitution. They are getting their benefits even if the country sinks while they do so.
These essays are not all from Harper's, where Cockburn was the longtime Washington editor. These were published initially in various publications, so even if you read Harper's religiously you may well be unfamiliar with many of these essays.
Recommended for readers who want some background to what is happening and why. Each essay is informative even if you don't want to make the connection to our current situation, though in the Epilogue Cockburn makes it all about here and now.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is a collection of essays by the author positing of America is at its decline or is it falling. It’s focus on the “carnival of corruption” in Washington is depressing but known and no one seems to care - I think greed is one of the seven deadly sins (but I’m going down the religious route).
I was most intrigued by the author’s relationship to George Cockburn who lead a British backed force of runaway slaves and burnt down the White House. How prophetic is that given the book’s title and the torch is lighting.
I think a lot of what Cockburn writes is depressing but true. I’m not as far left as the author so I give a bit of optimism to the future since things might be corrected in future elections (fingers crossed). But most of what he writes is shocking and horrible. Where have we lost our way?
I think this book is a must read - you don’t have to agree with everything but you need to keep an open mind to what’s happening.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Verso Books (US) for allowing me to read this ARC.
I was most intrigued by the author’s relationship to George Cockburn who lead a British backed force of runaway slaves and burnt down the White House. How prophetic is that given the book’s title and the torch is lighting.
I think a lot of what Cockburn writes is depressing but true. I’m not as far left as the author so I give a bit of optimism to the future since things might be corrected in future elections (fingers crossed). But most of what he writes is shocking and horrible. Where have we lost our way?
I think this book is a must read - you don’t have to agree with everything but you need to keep an open mind to what’s happening.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Verso Books (US) for allowing me to read this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3 stars
Washington is Burning is a political and current affair book that focuses on the Trump Administration as well as historical events that influenced the state of the current government. This book was not what I was expecting based on the synopsis, I was expecting more of a look at the current administration in the United States and its actions, but it really focused a lot on the history of the United States government with a few mentions of how its ties into the government now. It was a fascinating look at history and the connections of the past to now. While I did find this interesting there are not the heavy mentions or focus on the current actions of the Trump administration that I was expecting it to cover and its negative implications.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
Washington is Burning is a political and current affair book that focuses on the Trump Administration as well as historical events that influenced the state of the current government. This book was not what I was expecting based on the synopsis, I was expecting more of a look at the current administration in the United States and its actions, but it really focused a lot on the history of the United States government with a few mentions of how its ties into the government now. It was a fascinating look at history and the connections of the past to now. While I did find this interesting there are not the heavy mentions or focus on the current actions of the Trump administration that I was expecting it to cover and its negative implications.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
April 2, 2026
Washington Is Burning: Corruption and Lies in The Age of Trump by Andrew Cockburn is a sharp, incisive, and deeply investigative work that dissects the inner workings of modern American politics. Cockburn delivers a compelling critique of institutional power, exposing layers of bureaucracy, military influence, and systemic dysfunction with clarity and precision.
Blending historical context with contemporary analysis, the book offers a bold and unfiltered perspective on governance and accountability. Thought provoking and unapologetic, it stands as a vital contribution for readers seeking to understand the forces shaping political decision making today.
Blending historical context with contemporary analysis, the book offers a bold and unfiltered perspective on governance and accountability. Thought provoking and unapologetic, it stands as a vital contribution for readers seeking to understand the forces shaping political decision making today.
April 14, 2026
The collection of articles range from very interesting and relevant to rather outdated. Despite subtitle’s focus on Trump, many of the articles actually were published before he took office, which is a bit misleading. The chapters on the relationship between private equity and nursing homes, as well as the one about municipal bonds and police settlements were very interesting and frequently underlooked. Overall the book is interesting, however I felt that Cockburn’s The Spoils of War was a far more coherent and readable book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews