Off the Record: My Dream Job at the White House, How I Lost It, and What I Learned

by Madeleine Westerhout

Madeleine Westerhout, the former “gatekeeper” of the Trump White House, writes about her relationship with the president, and tells the story of the terrible mistake that led to her losing her job.

From the first day President Trump stepped into the White House, Madeleine Westerhout was by his side, first as his executive assistant, then as the Director of Oval Office Operations. From her desk outside the Oval, she saw everyone who came in to see the president. She placed his phone calls, and was in the room for several historic moments. During her time working with President Trump at the White House, Camp David, Mar a Lago, and Bedminster, she grew to love her job and admire the president.

Then, in an unguarded moment during a dinner with reporters, she made a terrible mistake.

In Off the Record, Westerhout tells the full story of this dinner for the first time, revealing the circumstances that led to her fateful mistake. She also writes about her relationship with President Trump — all the lessons she learned working with him, and why she believes he is a much different man than the one the media portrays every day. Westerhout describes President Trump as a kind and generous boss who continues to be a great leader for our country.

Genres: Nonfiction, Political Science, Politics

272 pages, Hardcover

Published August 11, 2020

About the author

Madeleine Westerhout was executive assistant to President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019, and the Director of Oval Office Operations at the White House from February to August 2019.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

So when I started reading this I got the impression that she was writing this to suck up to the RNC and the Trump family hoping for a job. Halfway through it felt like I was wrong. She wrote this because she was promised a job with the someone ( Trump family) if she did.

Whoa. Starts off good admitting her mistake. Shouldn't have gotten hammered and made fun of the Trump kids. Completely negated that at the end when she whines about whose fault it was that the Trump administration found out. Umm....your fault babe. You got drunk and did something stupid. Again.

Apparently she was a Trump advisor. Ha. Oh he's such a wonderful man who treats women wonderfully and thinks highly of all women. Haha. Now tell me she's not sucking up. Oh and how wonderful and accomplished ivanka is.

She mentioned some events that we've come to learn lied or left out the truth. Oh she bragged about her duties which, most admin will tell you is actually par for the course. I laughed out loud at a few of her humble brags. Oh and how she justifies having the job is hilarious. Trying to make it seem she was put in the position because of the skill.

Also funny, all the things she had to squeeze in at the end - like how no one liked her and she was a real Heather while in the white house. I guess she was hoping people wouldn't read the last few pages?

Anyway. Funny read. Her thirst is real.

[Judet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I was curious about the author's story. In particular, how she lost her job at the White House due to off-the-record comments she made to some journalists. Madeleine Westerhout assumes responsibility for her actions and does not blame others. Although the media shouldn't have published her comments, she accepts that she should not have made them to begin with. The story of her off the record comments and their consequences is actually quite short. The rest of the book is Westerhout's cursory account of experiences that led her to the White House and experiences she had while working there. I found her writing unstimulating, and the prose is naïve and superficial. There were moments when I wished the author had elaborated more on certain ideas, but she sticks to just telling the story without going too deep on anything.

Regardless, I am glad I read this book because all of Ms. Westerhout's anecdotes taken together give you a glimpse into how things work in the White House. Her stories demonstrate the lack of trust within the White House and the administration's emphasis on loyalty to the President rather than to our institutions. They illustrate the divisiveness along party lines that characterizes politics in the United States. They also show the lengths people will go to for the sake of ambition and protecting themselves and their careers. Finally, it was interesting to observe the author's rationale for loving and admiring the President. Her description and defense of President Trump's behaviors and comments remind me of a personality cult. For instance, she provides examples of the President's generosity in sharing once-in-a-lifetime experiences with others. While the President may indeed be generous and hospitable, the examples given also portray a person who uses generosity to flaunt power and win loyalty. I appreciate the opportunity to read about our current President and White House from various perspectives. In that regard, this book was okay even if it was just a series of anecdotes.

I leave you with a quote from Ms. Westerhout. In her book, she explains the many ways President Trump supports and respects women, but she also addresses some of the unsavory comments he has made. Ms. Westerhout writes: "Yes, he has said things he should not have said, but he comes from a different generation, when men said things like that all the time. He shouldn't be penalized because the times have changed. His heart is always in the right place, and that is what matters most."

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received a copy as a GoodReads giveaway. A lightweight read. Madeleine's own "scandal" and its aftermath isn't enough for a book on its own and thankfully takes up only a small portion of the book. Her insider's look at the Trump White House was the most interesting aspect to me. Her attempts to explain or excuse Trump's actions and words are sometimes eye-roll-inducing, though. She knew Trump's comments sometimes hurt people's feelings, and she whined that it's because he "had no other option"? Oh, please. Overall, slightly interesting as another perspective of the Trump administration, but not an essential read.

[Debra M. Caney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetitious and vapid… Don’t waste your money.

[Owlseyes]

So, "he reads"... constantly.
Says Waster-out Westerhout.

https://people.com/politics/donald-tr...

[Shelby Bauman · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is rare that I hate a book this much.

This book was advertised as a book that would "reveal Trump's true character", written by some who actually worked for him. It was also implied that this book would be especially impactful because Madeleine could still speak highly of him, even after she was forced to resign from her White House dream job.

Madeleine Westerhout served as Trump's executive assistant until she was fired for getting drunk with journalists at an "off the record" dinner where she gossiped (aka made nasty comments) about Barron and Tiffany Trump. When President Trump found out, she was forced to resign. Aka FIRED. Rather than be humbled and take that as a wake up call, Madeleine *says* she takes responsibility for the demise of her "dream job", but still spends several chapters circling back to place blame on the reporters at the dinner, the media, and other colleagues in the West Wing.

All of the positive stories she has to share about Trump are shoved between stories about prominent political figures and colleagues who she randomly throws under the bus or speaks as if they have less experience than her. Which is ??????? because she literally only got the job in the first place by knowing the right person and being in the right place at the right time. Even if every negative thing she has to say about every person she name drops is true, IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD TO WRITE IT. Especially since she's only writing it in an attempt to stay relevant after losing her job for being irresponsible and thinking she was untouchable.

I haven't been this fired up in a long time, but WOW she just came off as EXTREMELY unlikable. She makes an attempt at humility in the last chapter, but since the first 15 are desperately reaching for clout, the effort was pretty pointless.

If her goal was to sway the minds of voters in favor of Trump before the 2020 election (as it was marketed), her attempt was futile. This was just a book about a spoiled brat, mad because for the first time in her life she couldn't get he way.

[Marcia King · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not well written

I read this book because a Trump supporting friend of mine asked me to. My friend wanted me to see a different side of Trump. The author is a 29 year old who got heady with perceived power as a White House Executive Assistant. She also got quite drunk one night with reporters present and was fired for inappropriate remarks about Trump’s family. She discarded friends in pursuit of staying in her position. She recognizes some of Trump’s faults but the book seems to be written by an immature fangirl.

[LouLou · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reads like a D- high school essay. The author comes across as immature, naive and arrogant.

[Twobchelm · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lesson learned... the press is out to get you!
Interesting read giving you some insight to how the White House works and what a different world DC is!!

[MARIO DEGUZMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful at it’s core. Words flow sincerely, from an honest heart.

Beautfiful at it’s core. Words flow sincerely, from an honest heart. A truly great read, from a personal and close account.

[Kit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Enjoyed the inside view of Trump 's White House. Interesting read. Author actually worked for the President, so events ring true.

[Missy Burlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I know the author, however not well, and I wouldn’t go so far as to say “personally”. I appreciate that she admitted to coming off cold at times, which was my experience with Madeleine. That characteristic does play into her story, and she seems to be managing this in a way many ambitious professional women, myself included, were forced to in their early careers. Overall, her sharing of her story is incredibly brave. I enjoyed hearing about President’s Trump kind demeanor and generosity she witnessed firsthand. It’s clear she worked her tail off and loves our country. I can’t get behind her statement that Trump sometimes says things because he’s from “a different generation”, where those things were okay — you can make that excuse for many older people, but he is the President and must do better. Otherwise, it is such a refreshing perspective inside the White House.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This young woman was an anti-Trumper who worked for the RNC and watched in horror as Donald Trump was the Republican nominee. And then she met him. She was just an admin assistant with RNC but after her hard work during the election and transition he made her his Executive assistant. She is young.....very young....so if you are seasoned, as I am you will smile at some of the emotions and humor. She is painfully honest which is what got her fired to begin with. Good quick read if you want to know about the actual early days chaos.

[Diane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this book - she writes that she did not know that Washington was cut throat, dishonest people - please get real! And to write on how Trump is so nice and loves is country! Yeah, dogs love their country too! Her salary is interesting - wish I had that salary. Her question about her relationship with God must be a joke. Did she write this book for a teenager because any educated, well rounded adult is going to think this book was pure fiction because it is!
I would recommend this book if you want to throw up!!!!

[Megan Fernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wouldn’t recommend unless someone’s dying to get an inside look at working with the POTUS.
Felt like I was reading a girl sob over her own actions for 200+ pages, wasn’t a lot to it.

[Adam Rosen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Revisionist History and an attempt at re-writing her own history. Terrible read

[Laura Dorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really admire Madeleine Westerhout, author of “Off the Record.” She worked beside Donald Trump early in his presidency. Not many people have the courage to come out and admit it when they have screwed up. But she does and she doesn’t blame others for her mistakes. She had to stop working in the Oval Office and that was a blow for her. But she talks about what Donald Trump was like to work for. I had only known Trump through the scewed lens of CNN. But Westerhout sheds clarity on who Donald Trump really is. A warm, caring, brash, hardworking, business manager who doesn’t talk politics and who probably doesn’t know how to! She describes how hard he worked after initially finding out about Covid-19. For 48 hours he was on the phone trying to save lives! He didn’t eat or sleep for 48 hours because he was so busy trying to contain the virus! Nor has he taken a salary! And she says he never had a honey moon period, unlike most presidents. And as he went about his work, he was continually heckled by Democrats all day long trying to trip him up! Donald Trump has had to pave the way for future Republican Presidents. And he’s done it with hardly any support from Republicans! This was an excellent book! And I am so glad that Westerhout had the courage to come out about her mistakes because I would never have known who Donald Trump really is!

[Acqeel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A consequential memoir that does more to inspire than vent, setting it apart from the dozens of other memoirs of ex-staffers in the Trump administration. Perhaps the best part of Madeleine's book was how she came to acquire her position in the White House at such a young age, navigating the political maze of DC, but ultimately falling victim to it. As someone who also, for better or worse, tends to learn things the hard way, I certainly could empathize with her experience.

The book sheds some light to a side of the President not many people know or care about, albeit only to do with his good side. So if you are looking for 'gotcha' moments and more tell all leaks, this is far from being the book for you. Madeleine's frankness with matters to do with the press was warranted, but lacked analysis and perhaps missed the bigger picture. I also wish she delved deeper into how she dealt with the chaos and conflict within the administration that so many other staffers couldn't contend with.

[Lindsey Dober · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d recommend any Executive Assistant, assistant, team coordinator, etc. read this. It gives good perspective to how to tow the rope for your leader, a glimpse into exactly how you can get off track (and how to avoid it from someone else’s misfortune), provides meaningful insight to making sure you 🤫 and retain privacy for the role and leader (and company or office), and how people treat those who can’t do anything for them (little do they know how impactful it is to have an advocate ‘on the inside’). It’s telling to exactly how much we are invested in our leaders and keeping the day-to-day in order.

There were a few key opinions that I didn’t agree with that I felt crossed the line of “humor” into distaste and intolerance; however, as a tell-all memoir, I appreciated the mindset shift it provided me.

[Elisabeth]

BEFORE READING

I have been reluctant about buying and then reading this book. Westerhout is a very Dutch name so first I thought "how can it be a clear thinking Dutch woman would ever fall for al the BS the orange one was (and still is, however, luckily, somewhat more low-profile now) spewing". Although there must be some Dutch roots somewhere there, she is an all American girl. Or so it seems. The book caught my attention because of her last name, though.

I have yet to read this book, as it has just arrived. What won me over to buy it is curiousity. Is that I hope to be convinced that there is somewhat of a a good side to DT, although I'm afraid I still will think the same aboit him as I do now, after reading. Or I'll be even more enraged by the level of ignorance and stupidity by DT and his 'followers'. I will let you know after I read it.

[Danny R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madeleine delivered her story in a cohesive timeline that made you feel like you were a part of the staff at the Whitehouse. The extreme detail to where the rooms were really made you feel like you got a tour. I felt like she wrote in a way that would protect a lot of her relationships and in parts held back, but you can tell she was an ambitious woman who really wanted to break doors down for more women in politics. She showed absolute respect for those who came before her and elevated her to higher levels. I would say great read for those who wanted to see 45 in a different light.

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing honest book

An amazing book I Felt this Is book where an author finally said whole truth about Donald Trump as a president but mostly as a person. I'm from Czech Republic so I obviously love Donald Trump haha but with all the News how awful He Is i was confused And dont know what to believe. Thank you Madeleine, Now I know.

[Madi Codispoti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book would talk more about what she learned from working in the White house. However, the book was mostly he life story of working in the White house, and it just wasn't enjoyable for me. I appreciated the fact that she sanded by Trump, even after she was fired, but it wasn't my favorite book.

[AnthonyA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice personal account of the Trump administration experience

This offers a good perspective of experience working for the Trump administration and some of the inner workings of it. It was a nice, quick read.

[Sue-Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to give this young woman credit for owning up to her errors. I wish that she had of been a bit more honest about how Trump exaggerates his own beliefs. It does give you a good look at what it’s like on the inside and another view of the president.

[Heather Lipinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 2.5. As a former Executive Assistant I related to some aspects and I feel for her about how one mistake can cause you to be fired. But come on. Some of the stuff in the book was pure pandering. Trump being great for women. Who actually believes that?

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially since it wasn't a tell all trash Trump like so many opportunists like to write. Trump always tells us that the press is the enemy of the people. They were certainly the enemy of Madeline Westerhout beyond a doubt

[Kathy Everhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective. Strong woman.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent insight into the Trump White House.

[Sloane Mayberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really nice to hear something genuine and positive about the personal side of Trump. Perhaps helped to explain some of the motivation for how he executes his role.