Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House

by April Ryan

Veteran White House reporter April Ryan thought she had seen everything in her two decades as a White House correspondent. And then came the Trump administration. In Under Fire, Ryan takes us inside the confusion and chaos of the Trump White House to understand how she and other reporters adjusted to the new normal. She takes us inside the policy debates, the revolving door of personnel appointments, and what it is like when she, as a reporter asking difficult questions, finds herself in the spotlight, becoming part of the story. With the world on edge and a country grappling with a new controversy almost daily, Ryan gives readers a glimpse into current events from her perspective, not only from inside the briefing room but also as a target of those who want to avoid answering probing questions. After reading her new book, readers will have an unprecedented inside view of the Trump White House and what it is like to be a reporter Under Fire.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Memoir, Journalism, History, African American, Presidents

181 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2018

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as I'm concerned, if you don't like Ryan's reporting and ethic of hard work, then there's something wrong with you. I have to admit though, this isn't as good as I hoped it be.

If you haven't been paying attention, Ryan is a reporter who has been covering the White House for quite a while. She is well spoken, well respected, and intelligent. Spicer told her to stop shaking her head. She is part of what Trump calls the fake news (until he considers it real news, then it's right, except when it's not).

This book details her work in the White House Press corp during Trump's first year in Office. So if you are looking at how the Press is responding to Trump's repeated attacks on them and the First Amendent, this is it. It also means that there was, understandably, a push to get this book out. This most likely accounts for the feel that it should have used a bit of tighter editing. For instance,- I do not know if the publisher though only African-Americans would read this so perhaps this point is out of order (I'm white, I'm not show) - when Ryan is detailing Trump's first proclamination about African-American History month, she notes the response in the Black community because of the use of African-American not Black (there was/is a fear of erasing history or imporance). There was concern from the community, and she asked why the change. Spicer notes that Obama used the name; Ryan points out that Regan made the change. So why is Trump using African-American so much worse? I'm not questioning the validity of the response. I just want to know why it is worse. Is it because Trump is more openly racist? But Ryan doesn't say, so it comes off as strange.

I understand that this is an attempt, in part, to capture how Ryan talks in book form, but there is an overuse exclamination points, which I will grant is a pet peeve of mine.

There is also quite a bit on Ryan's "relationship" with Omarosa. This is understandable. If someone attacks your reputation and ethics, thereby endangering your job, you are going to be furious, but the section goes on for too long. A good editor would have shortened it.

Those qualms aside, I am glad that I read this. Ryan is a good read, and there is much in here that sheds light on some things in the news as well as horrifying you with Trump's working hours. It is important because Ryan is reporting when reporters are underfire at home, considering for instance, the work place shooting as well as the death threats that some reporters are getting.

[Manuela · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of information on 171 pages. I will never understand everything she has experienced, as I am neither a black woman in the US nor a correspondent in the White House. But she has experienced this and it still astonishes me what level of vitriol is heaped on her and her family. It leaves a bad feeling in my mouth but I can understand why she is going back.

[Randal White · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insider's look at the Trump administration. And, unfortunately, it's worse than we even imagined. Ryan, a reporter with decades of experience, describes the attempted sidelining of her by members of the current administration. She manages to persevere, and continues to try to stand for the under represented people of our nation. I admire her stamina. Her experiences dealing with the dreaded Omarosa Manigault are awful. It must be like being in grade school again, complete with the "mean girls" clique. I wish the author luck, and hope she can find the strength to continue in her White House career.

[Darlene Payne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw Ms Ryan on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, which sparked my interest in this book. There's no doubt April Ryan is an intelligent, honest journalist, but this book really left a lot to be desired. She frequently tells a bit about a story, then says that she'll tell it later, or talks about an incident at several different times so that it's hard to keep up. Still, there is some interesting information in this book, and I think it's an important one.

[Ann Clay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. Poorly written, doesn't seem like a professional journalist at all. She tells the same story three times at least. Reads like a rough draft.

And the whole fight in the White House with Omarosa? Talk about letting the world know you're as classy as she is.

[Tiffany Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn’t as good as I expected it to be. There were a few gems along the way with the highlights being about Omarosa. Overall, decent book and worth a read.

[Kelly Hager]

If you've been paying attention at all, you know this isn't a particularly great time to be a reporter or journalist. The president and his fans are combative and anything that doesn't confirm their bias is met with a derisive "fake news."

One of the public faces for this is April Ryan. She's been considered one of the major thorns in the president's side...which is interesting because she's not even really all that rude or demanding. She's a journalist who does her job, meaning she asks questions and keeps asking them until they're answered. 

In this book, she discusses life as a reporter under this administration. (She has two other nonfiction books and one of them discusses her job under other administrations, too. I haven't read that one, but I would like to.)

April Ryan's tone is blunt but respectful. She's actually a lot nicer than she probably needs to be, and certainly a lot nicer than I would say the president deserves. (April Ryan is a better person than I am, and I will admit that.)

If you're interested in politics, journalism or both, this is a fascinating read. Recommended.

[Koren · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you follow politics or watch the presidential news briefings, you will recognize April Ryan as a reporter that the president likes to pick on. She is feisty and doesn't back down and she is good at what she does. My biggest disappointment with this book is that most of it is information that we already know if we watch the news or follow the president at all. At times this is just another bitch about Trump book. The part about her and Omarosa was a surprise as I was not aware there was some bad blood there. I really think she should have waited to write this book. It is a short book, only 171 pages and I started it one evening and finished it the next. But she finished the book earlier this year and as we know there is so much more she could have included and made the book more about the attack on the media. The attacks on Jim Acosta should have definitely been included in this book and I'm sure there is more to come.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have the greatest respect for April Ryan, for the work she does, and for taking so many bullets in the name of a free and open press that represents all people, especially the marginalized. When I watch WH press conferences, I almost always keep my eye on her, just to see her not-so-poker face reactions to the press secretary’s BS.

But I had a hard time reading the book. It read very disjointedly with non-sequitors sprinkled through it. I wondered if her editor even went through the manuscript or if they just hurried to get it to press. 😬 Sorry, April... I still love you as a reporter and CNN contributor!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

April Ryan explains her views about what reporting has been like since 2016. She especially focuses on her take friendship with Omerosa and the antics of Sean Spicer. Much like a personal gossip journal, she explains her point of view and we are all the better for it.

[Jon Nielson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like April Ryan, but this book was written by a 3 year old. It's awful. Could not finish.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another entry in the Trump bookshelf. Here, a reporter's 15 Minutes and becoming the story comes from asking Donald J. if he is a racist. Mostly, the reporter's memoir is about a running Cold War with the apparently duplicitous chameleon Omarosa Manigault. So now I have to read that side in Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House.

More of an aside, it seems this African-American is writing her own "dog whistles". Maybe I am too white, but I need help understanding why Black History Month, referred to as a "African-American History Month" at least sometimes by Reagan and Obama, is problematic when referred to as a "African-American History Month" by Trump. Ryan does go this extra distance to help me understand more about the history and role of Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the rocky initial meeting between HBCU leaders and Trump.

[Hannah Laura Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admire April Ryan, and I think she has a lot of good info and good stories to tell, but this book felt so rushed and scattered. I feel like everyone is wanting to get their political memoirs out now, and I do understand why, but this one could have really benefited from more time and careful editing put into it.

[Theresa Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and has made me appreciated the work of the journalist more. The back story on Trumps pointless meeting with HBU leaders and information about historical black colleges was eye-opening.

[Book Shark]

Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House by April Ryan

“Under Fire” is a solid book that sheds light into the Trump White House. Veteran White House reporter April Ryan takes the reader behind-the-scenes and exposes an administration’s unprecedented disregard for the truth. This interesting 193-page book includes the following nine chapters: 1. The Rebuke, 2. Healthcare Despair, 3. Becoming the Story, 4. Twitter Trouble, 5. Enemy of the People, 6. Examining the Black Agenda, 7. Education for All?, 8. Divided Nation, and 9. Women at Work.

Positives:
1. A well-written, concise book. Ryan writes with clarity.
2. I’m always interested in the behind-the-scenes stories from respected reporters.
3. This is a page-turner. Ryan succeeds in keeping the reader interested. “During my career at the White House, nothing has compared to my experiences in the Trump administration.”
4. Readers will gain a better understanding of Ryan’s perspective on reporting. “I bring up questions related to race to inform the public so that things can improve, not worsen. I’m not a race baiter, but I hope to be a race informer.”
5. Interesting insights. “You may not be aware that as Black journalists and the Black media, we are often not given access to Republican candidates. Our community is usually written off because it’s not considered worthwhile to court our vote.”
6. Enlightening black history. “Throughout history, every time we have made significant gains, there has been a fierce and ferocious backlash from those who have resented it. Whether it was the end of reconstruction, whether it was Jim Crow or whether it was the Tea Party or Donald Trump movement against President Obama.”
7. Trump’s past exposed. “Trump was the focus of articles on his bad housing practices toward Blacks. In 1973, the U.S. Justice Department sued the young real estate businessman, his father, Fred, and Trump Management for housing bias. The Trumps were sued for allegedly not renting apartments to African Americans in one of the Trump developments.”
8. Covers the healthcare despair. “Obamacare is meant as a holistic approach to get people well. It is also meant to cut the number of folks using the emergency room as their doctor, which was creating extremely high hospital bills.”
9. Good use of facts. “A Harvard University study found that medical expenses were the leading cause for personal bankruptcy filings at 62 percent.”
10. Goes into details about reluctantly becoming the story. “Omarosa’s attempts to smear me with her lies started in the summer of 2016 and continued through 2017.”
11. White House history. “According to the White House Historical Association and Dr. Martha Joynt Kumar, White House briefings began in the 1800s, conducted by the presidential private secretary, a position analogous to the chief of staff today. It was back in 1913 when Woodrow Wilson held the very first press conference, over one hundred years ago!”
12. The Trump Standard. “He holds himself to the Trump standard. Anyone else must stand in the center of their mess and face public shaming and more. But when it comes to being Donald J. Trump, the standard rules of morals, ethics, and just common decency do not apply. They are actually repelled by him.”
13. The enemy of the people, the media. “The damage was done when Donald Trump said the press was the enemy of the people. It’s a deeply anti-American comment he made. It’s a disregard for the First Amendment and it puts journalists at risk around the world. It’s the kind of language that Donald Trump uses about the press. It’s what you get from dictators.”
14. Examines the Black Agenda. “On March 22, 2017, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) meeting took place in the Cabinet Room in the West Wing of the White House. This group represents 78 million Americans, with 17 million of them being African Americans. Their top five issues were hovering overhead: criminal justice; economic opportunity, expanding the economic pie for minority businesses; education and job training; real crime; and healthcare.”
15. Trump’s racism exposed. “The president was accused of repeatedly saying that he did not want people from “shithole countries” like Haiti, El Salvador, and all of Africa coming to America. However, he clearly stated that he wanted people from Norway. It was the White Meat versus Dark Meat discussion—not over poultry, but people.”
16. Enlightening history on Historical Black Colleges (HBCUs). “HBCUs were born, and supporters of the schools worked for them to thrive. The mission was not to divide but to bridge the divides.”
17. Issues of division. “Here’s a stunning yet documented fact that is grossly under-reported. The Center for American Progress published an article on January 12, 2018, titled “The Top 3 Things You Need to Know about Black Immigrants in the United States in 2018.” The report used data from a 2016 American Community Survey. The findings were that the 3.7 million Black immigrants in the United States have high rates of education and employment. The report shows that Black immigrants are more likely than all other immigrants to have some college education, or at least an associate’s degree (29 percent compared with 19 percent). The education attainment rates for Black immigrants are like those for native-born Americans at 32 percent and 31 percent, respectively.”
18. The power of women. “In another amazing example of the power of women, particularly Black women, on December 12, 2017, polling showed that Roy Moore was defeated in the contentious Alabama Senate race, primarily due to the turnout of women of color.”

Negatives:
1. No supplementary material to speak of. No charts, graphs, bibliography, timeline, not even notes.
2. Sometimes Ryan gets into gossip mode.
3. The Omarosa story becomes repetitive and tiresome.
4. Does appear to be one sided. Conservatives will dislike.

In summary, this is a very easy and brief read. Ryan writes with clarity and makes keen observations. She provides interesting insights in what it’s like to be a veteran female black White House reporter under a Trump administration. As a result of her insights I was able to get a better appreciation on her reporting angle. Biggest shortcoming is the lack of supplementary material. A quick interesting read, I recommend it.

Further suggestions: “Presidency in Black and White” by the same author, “The Enemy of the People” by Jim Acosta, “The Threat” by Andrew McCabe, “The Man Who Sold America: Trump and the Unraveling of the American Story” by Joy-Ann Reid, “Enemy of the People” by Marvin Kalb, “Unbelievable” by Katy Tur, and “Trumpocracy” by David Frum.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book by April Ryan, as she has become the news story so often during this presidency. Her in-your-face questioning style has drawn the ire of the White House press secretaries, but gained her the respect of both her colleagues and the general public. This book is a fantastic look at the happenings from her perspective, as well as her insights into various news stories. There are some good little tidbits of gossip mixed in with the more serious and insightful stories. The storyline I found most interesting was her former friendship and eventual distancing from Omarosa Manigault-Newman. If you are a news junkie like me, you will find this book engrossing and ultimately rewarding.

[KF-in-Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Ryan's. I like the way she handles the White House press conferences and how she deals with Trump-supporters on CNN programs. She's the gutsy reporter who flatly asked Trump if he's a racist. Lest you think she enjoys Trump-baiting, she points out that someone needs to ask the question rather than just making assumptions; no one else was asking the man himself.

Includes a long, good chapter on HBCUs--their history and importance.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, chatty book by a long-time White House reporter, sharing her observations of the crazy, chaotic days of the Trump administration. I'm not an American so some of the political details were not that interesting to me. But it's intriguing to read the observations of an accomplished black woman doing a very tough job under sometimes very challenging circumstances.

[Jo Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only is this an important book, bringing up the constant reality of the unreal administration, but it was fun to read the back stories of some of the firestorms we witnessed. I also liked finding out the resolutions to the problems we saw that didn’t seem to make it into the news I read. Stand strong, Ms. Ryan!

[Wesley Allan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like April Ryan; she's a good reporter and provides an important perspective. However, I was expecting far more insight from this book. Too many passages are vague and lack detail. I also could have done without the repetitive sections on her feud with Omarosa.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often felt too soon - didn’t want to relive the awful, crazy nonsense but was interesting to read Ms. Ryan’s take, full of background details. Books like this will be important years from now when historians try to figure out what the hell happened.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading what this veteran White House reporter (4 administrations) has had to suffer under this racist Trump administration still has my blood boiling. It should make every American angry. I respect her, applaud her and say freedom of the press!!!

[Marty Blum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

April Ryan has an easygoing style of writing, almost as though she is talking to you. She shares her experiences reporting from the White House pool of reporters in a time when the President has declared the media the enemy of the people. I’m glad I read this book.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

She’s a good writer and better person than me. The News organizations don’t have enough money for me to work in those conditions. The backbiting is outrageous. She must have hella bills to endure all that drama. Sorry it’s real, would make a great plot for a fictions drama

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir by a White House reporter with over a two decade tenure there. Ryan has endured a great deal of bullshit from 45 and his administration, but she persists, which is a good thing.

[Foggygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An illuminating read from a front line reporter in this oftentimes chaotic and untruthful White House.

[Brandy O'Rourke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more. I have the greatest admiration for Ryan’s work, her ethic, her persistence. I struggled to hear her voice in this. I look forward to reading other works.

[Sabra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should have been much better, but I think it was badly edited. Too much of it seemed like stream of consciousness, without any organization in time.

[Pat Mckay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't put my finger on it, but I expected more from this book. More of what, I'm not sure: depth? Analysis? I just don't know.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh....I really wanted to like it because I’m a fan of April, but I was underwhelmed.