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Taking Back Trump's America: Why We Lost the White House and How We'll Win It Back
As seen on Tucker Carlson
As heard on Mark Levin
In this follow-up to the breakout bestseller In Trump Time, Peter Navarro explains why Trump lost the White House in 2020 and how he will win it back in 2024—and none too soon.
Steve Bannon, the chief architect of Trump’s 2016 win, describes Taking Back Trump’s America as “a brass-knuckled insider’s account of the merciless 2020 fall and miraculous 2024 rise of the White House of Trump.”
In Peter Navarro’s telling—he was in all of the rooms where it happened—Trump’s fall may be laid squarely at the feet of a coterie of incompetent and disloyal “bad personnel” inside the White House. They continually sought to undermine the commander in chief they putatively served and included everyone from Attorney General Bill Barr, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and National Economic Council Directors Gary Cohn and Larry Kudlow, to National Security Advisors H.R. McMaster and John “Dr. Strangelove” Bolton, Jared “Rasputin” Kushner, the Four-Star Traitors in Generals John Kelly and Jim Mattis, and four of the worst chiefs of staff in White House history.
This confederacy of predatory globalists, Never-Trump Republicans, wild-eyed Freedom Caucus nut jobs, and self-absorbed Wall Street transactionalists would constantly delay, disrupt, and deter a set of populist, economic, nationalist, and “tough on China” actions and policies that would have otherwise carried Donald Trump to a landslide victory.
As heard on Mark Levin
In this follow-up to the breakout bestseller In Trump Time, Peter Navarro explains why Trump lost the White House in 2020 and how he will win it back in 2024—and none too soon.
Steve Bannon, the chief architect of Trump’s 2016 win, describes Taking Back Trump’s America as “a brass-knuckled insider’s account of the merciless 2020 fall and miraculous 2024 rise of the White House of Trump.”
In Peter Navarro’s telling—he was in all of the rooms where it happened—Trump’s fall may be laid squarely at the feet of a coterie of incompetent and disloyal “bad personnel” inside the White House. They continually sought to undermine the commander in chief they putatively served and included everyone from Attorney General Bill Barr, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and National Economic Council Directors Gary Cohn and Larry Kudlow, to National Security Advisors H.R. McMaster and John “Dr. Strangelove” Bolton, Jared “Rasputin” Kushner, the Four-Star Traitors in Generals John Kelly and Jim Mattis, and four of the worst chiefs of staff in White House history.
This confederacy of predatory globalists, Never-Trump Republicans, wild-eyed Freedom Caucus nut jobs, and self-absorbed Wall Street transactionalists would constantly delay, disrupt, and deter a set of populist, economic, nationalist, and “tough on China” actions and policies that would have otherwise carried Donald Trump to a landslide victory.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
429 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2022
158 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Peter Navarro
49 books116 followersA Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University. He received several teaching awards in 2010 for the MBA programs that he teaches.
Navarro ran for office in San Diego, California, three times. In 1992, he ran for mayor, winning the primary race, but losing to Susan Golding in the runoff. In 1996, he ran for the 49th Congressional District, but lost to Republican Brian Bilbray. In 2001, Navarro ran in a special election to fill the District 6 San Diego city council seat, but lost in the primary.
Navarro ran for office in San Diego, California, three times. In 1992, he ran for mayor, winning the primary race, but losing to Susan Golding in the runoff. In 1996, he ran for the 49th Congressional District, but lost to Republican Brian Bilbray. In 2001, Navarro ran in a special election to fill the District 6 San Diego city council seat, but lost in the primary.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 3, 2022
Presenting an artful diagnosis of what went wrong in Trump's administration and his sabotaged 2020 re-election campaign, former Trade and Manufacturing Advisor Peter Navarro does not disappoint. The Russia hoax, failed Mueller investigation and two impeachments aside, Navarro asserts the adage that "bad personnel is bad policy" as the fatal flaw in Trump world. Following this painful diagnosis is a prescription for renewal, excising the RINO and uniparty contingent from future posts along with a projected list of cabinet members and related advisors. This book is for MAGA people and those who wish to be. (This is a sequel to the author's In Trump Time.)
October 2, 2022
Great read
Peter pulls no punches and speaks the truth on the plague of the Washington swamp. Great read, humorous,in depth book.
Peter pulls no punches and speaks the truth on the plague of the Washington swamp. Great read, humorous,in depth book.
October 4, 2022
A must read
As books written about the Trump presidency conflict about what really happened. Peter Navarro’s book one you should compare and contrast with the the one written by the son in law and Kellyanne’s book. At least I better understand what happened!
As books written about the Trump presidency conflict about what really happened. Peter Navarro’s book one you should compare and contrast with the the one written by the son in law and Kellyanne’s book. At least I better understand what happened!
September 30, 2022
Has a ring of truth to it. A no holds bar account spanning the Trump years. A lot of personalties are revealed although not a flattering picture of a lot of well known political figures. Well worth reading.
September 26, 2022
A no-holds-barred account of the battles inside of the Trump White House. According to Navarro, those battles were the result of the poor staffing decisions by Trump. This allowed a bunch of globalist, Wall Streeter’s to delay or derail the work to deliver many of the campaign promises Trump made.
September 23, 2022
l think his best yet
A rollicking roller coaster from start to finish.Brilliant exposure of the corruption
facing good honest patriots who want to bring their nation back from the brink
ot total disaster . Many prayers being offered up from this part of the world.(NZ).Great work Peter.
A rollicking roller coaster from start to finish.Brilliant exposure of the corruption
facing good honest patriots who want to bring their nation back from the brink
ot total disaster . Many prayers being offered up from this part of the world.(NZ).Great work Peter.
October 19, 2022
Had Dr. Peter Navarro been my economics professor during college, I probably would have stayed awake during class. Indeed in his newest book, “Taking Back Trump’s America”, the reader gets a loud wake up call on exactly what went wrong in Trump’s White House during our President’s first term. To paraphrase the good Dr. Navarro, “Bad personnel, plus bad process procedures, ultimately led to bad policy and therefore bad politics.” What makes this book entertaining is Dr. Navarro’s ability to explain world economic principles in plain language, while simultaneously using snarky humor to spill the dirt and dish the gossip on key Washington DC and Wall Street personalities. He also does an outstanding job of explaining MAGA: a grassroots movement much maligned and misrepresented by Main Stream Media, Democrat politicians, Deep State operatives, and Leftist activists. Navarro describes this populous economic movement as an “iron MAGA triangle built on 1) strengthening American manufacturing and energy independence, 2) securing America’s international borders, and 3) ending America’s endless wars which squander American lives and resources. The book blows the whistle on just who in Trump’s first administration sabotaged common sense America First policy—either out of stupidity, selfishness, or downright maliciousness. But do not despair, you will also meet the good guys; the last chapter where Navarro describes his dream team for the 2024 Trump administration is great fun.
October 10, 2023
I’ll read anything and I went to a dark place here. A few thoughts:
1. Does Navarro like anyone in the trump white house? I’ve never read a political book where the author disparages everyone. I suspect that everyone in the trump White House didn’t like him very much. On and on he went with one put down after another. Great guy to work around.
2. If you didn’t know what happened to the country during trump’s tenure you would think he did pretty well according to Navarro. Nice job cherry picking his facts.
3. After reading this, I think we only needed trump and Navarro to run the whole executive branch. Navarro goes on and on with the mistakes in hiring of people in the trump White House but for 7 years I’ve heard trump tell me over and over he only hires the best. Something doesn’t add up here.
4. Navarro is also an expert on just about everything outside of his field of trade. Kind of like trump being an expert in science because his uncle was a professor at MIT.
I read it. It was nauseating.
1. Does Navarro like anyone in the trump white house? I’ve never read a political book where the author disparages everyone. I suspect that everyone in the trump White House didn’t like him very much. On and on he went with one put down after another. Great guy to work around.
2. If you didn’t know what happened to the country during trump’s tenure you would think he did pretty well according to Navarro. Nice job cherry picking his facts.
3. After reading this, I think we only needed trump and Navarro to run the whole executive branch. Navarro goes on and on with the mistakes in hiring of people in the trump White House but for 7 years I’ve heard trump tell me over and over he only hires the best. Something doesn’t add up here.
4. Navarro is also an expert on just about everything outside of his field of trade. Kind of like trump being an expert in science because his uncle was a professor at MIT.
I read it. It was nauseating.
January 5, 2026
This book takes reader's behind the scenes of the Trump team, starting with the inner turmoil and conflict during his presidency which led to unfulfilled election promises and the failed bid for re-election in 2020. Many villains who let down the boss are named, and their crimes exposed as Navarro outlines how he intends to deliver on the populist nationalist economic agenda in the next (now come to pass) term of office.
The first part of the book talks about how bad people make bad policy leading to bad politics. The first Trump administration included many globalists who were not loyal to Trump such as Gary Cohen, Reince Priebus, Mnuchin, Rex Tillerson, H.R. McMaster and many others all worked to prevent Trump from delivering on his populist nationalist economic campaign promises such as to be tough on China and Canada. Special disdain is reserved for Jared Kushner, aka the "Clown Prince", who is blamed for failing to get Navarro the role he wanted reporting directly to Trump, which made him much less effective. As a result, when the time came for the 2020 election, voters were naturally disappointed that promises and swung back to Biden.
The book also discusses the problems with the 2020 election campaign, and he places a lot of blame on Brad Parscale for firstly turning all the social media companies against Trump, and secondly for siphoning off campaign funds. He also blames Jared for mismanaging the campaign and preventing Trump from understanding how dire the situation was until it was too late. He also levels a very serious accusation at Anthony Faucci for firstly funding the research in the Wuhan laboratory that probably led to the creation of the COVID virus, and then covering up his role and insisting it was a natural virus, which prevented Trump from taking strong action against China.
Overall, an entertaining read, and a very good contrast with HR McMaster's book, to get a visceral sense of the wide gulf between the viewpoints within the first Trump team and the animosities that developed.
The first part of the book talks about how bad people make bad policy leading to bad politics. The first Trump administration included many globalists who were not loyal to Trump such as Gary Cohen, Reince Priebus, Mnuchin, Rex Tillerson, H.R. McMaster and many others all worked to prevent Trump from delivering on his populist nationalist economic campaign promises such as to be tough on China and Canada. Special disdain is reserved for Jared Kushner, aka the "Clown Prince", who is blamed for failing to get Navarro the role he wanted reporting directly to Trump, which made him much less effective. As a result, when the time came for the 2020 election, voters were naturally disappointed that promises and swung back to Biden.
The book also discusses the problems with the 2020 election campaign, and he places a lot of blame on Brad Parscale for firstly turning all the social media companies against Trump, and secondly for siphoning off campaign funds. He also blames Jared for mismanaging the campaign and preventing Trump from understanding how dire the situation was until it was too late. He also levels a very serious accusation at Anthony Faucci for firstly funding the research in the Wuhan laboratory that probably led to the creation of the COVID virus, and then covering up his role and insisting it was a natural virus, which prevented Trump from taking strong action against China.
Overall, an entertaining read, and a very good contrast with HR McMaster's book, to get a visceral sense of the wide gulf between the viewpoints within the first Trump team and the animosities that developed.
January 7, 2023
This book is an insider’s view on Trump’s 4 years tenure as the 45th president of the US. Dr. Navarro served the full four years as a senior official of president Trump’s , one of the three who finished full term.
As an long term American First advocator, both in academia and political appointments, Dr. Navarro’s biggest accomplishment is advising, supporting and participating in the multiple rounds of deal negotiations with China, including finishing phase I trade deals and imposing trade tariffs on China imports.
Dr. Navarro’s views in this book about 5 failures in Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign are deep and refreshing as I read in 2022. He summarized as the following:
1) failure to make Communist China the most important issue of 2020 campaign
2) failure to populate the MAGA slogan: Buy American, Hire American
3) failure to run an efficient re-election campaign with the right people and right strategy
4) failure to negotiate a phase IV stimulus and relief bill with congress
5) failure to fight back against the Never-Trump mainstream media
I personally found Dr. Navarro’s viewpoint about future American politics very fascinating and insightful. While some has become reality when I read this book, such as taking back the House, his selections of shadow cabinet is very interesting. I would love to see how the next election would be played out in 2024, but I think the focus first should be how GOP primary will be played out
As an long term American First advocator, both in academia and political appointments, Dr. Navarro’s biggest accomplishment is advising, supporting and participating in the multiple rounds of deal negotiations with China, including finishing phase I trade deals and imposing trade tariffs on China imports.
Dr. Navarro’s views in this book about 5 failures in Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign are deep and refreshing as I read in 2022. He summarized as the following:
1) failure to make Communist China the most important issue of 2020 campaign
2) failure to populate the MAGA slogan: Buy American, Hire American
3) failure to run an efficient re-election campaign with the right people and right strategy
4) failure to negotiate a phase IV stimulus and relief bill with congress
5) failure to fight back against the Never-Trump mainstream media
I personally found Dr. Navarro’s viewpoint about future American politics very fascinating and insightful. While some has become reality when I read this book, such as taking back the House, his selections of shadow cabinet is very interesting. I would love to see how the next election would be played out in 2024, but I think the focus first should be how GOP primary will be played out
October 29, 2022
A wonderful book with an inside look and assessment of the White House crew and its inner workings. Navarro's wit shines through the painful assessment. It is amazing President Trump was able to get so much of the agenda through.
Part One: The Beginning and Beginning of the End,
Part Two: Prelude to a Post-Mortem,
Part Three: Let the West Wing Games Begin & Lessons Learned - chapter Thirteen: Bad Personnel PLUS Bad Process Is Bad Policy Is Bad Politics,
Part Four: From China Hawks to China Appeasers,
Part Five: That's the Way the Blue Wall Didn't Crumble,
Part Six: The Hillary Clinton Campaign on Quaaludes,
Part Seven: Playing Checkers in a Speed Chess World,
Part Eight: Ink By the Barrel, Cable By the Mile.
Part Nine: Taking It Back in 2024 - chapters Thirty: Tearing Down the Pelosi House in 2022;
Thirty-One: No Facebook, No Fox, No Problem;
Thirty-Two: Good Personnel Is Good Policy Is Good Policy Is Good Politics.
Part One: The Beginning and Beginning of the End,
Part Two: Prelude to a Post-Mortem,
Part Three: Let the West Wing Games Begin & Lessons Learned - chapter Thirteen: Bad Personnel PLUS Bad Process Is Bad Policy Is Bad Politics,
Part Four: From China Hawks to China Appeasers,
Part Five: That's the Way the Blue Wall Didn't Crumble,
Part Six: The Hillary Clinton Campaign on Quaaludes,
Part Seven: Playing Checkers in a Speed Chess World,
Part Eight: Ink By the Barrel, Cable By the Mile.
Part Nine: Taking It Back in 2024 - chapters Thirty: Tearing Down the Pelosi House in 2022;
Thirty-One: No Facebook, No Fox, No Problem;
Thirty-Two: Good Personnel Is Good Policy Is Good Policy Is Good Politics.
June 21, 2023
I heard the author's voice in every sentence. What amazes me is that the President was able to get ANYTHING done with all the miscreant globalist reprobates surrounding him. I had a fairly high opinion of many of the folks in the administration, but Professor Navarro's revelations shed new light on these failures. I would hope that when Trump retakes the White House, Professor Navarro is firmly ensconced. It's a very entertaining, informative and insightful book. Considering the fix we're in now, the tale is a really sad one.
March 8, 2025
I borrowed this book to study trump's policy. I was absolutely disgusted by how Peter sucked up to his boss Trump and his narcissistic hubris in labeling everyone who disagrees with him as a "globalist". It was obvious that, despite his excessive flattery, he thought trump was an idiot as he laid out in chapter 13 that trump thinks rich guys are smart and favors good looking people. He was only there to exploit trump to realize his extreme populist agenda! Now Trump has been inaugurated the second time, let's see how the shit show unfolds this time around.
October 11, 2022
Straight Talk, Detailed and Hilarious
Every Trump supporter should read this book, including yourself sir, Mr. President, because it gets to the heart of the good, the bad, and the backstabbing awful. Bad people made bad policy made bad politics. But there's hope in detailed staffing recommendations in the last chapter. Thank you Dr. Navarro, for such a detailed, fun story - it even had a clown prince!
Every Trump supporter should read this book, including yourself sir, Mr. President, because it gets to the heart of the good, the bad, and the backstabbing awful. Bad people made bad policy made bad politics. But there's hope in detailed staffing recommendations in the last chapter. Thank you Dr. Navarro, for such a detailed, fun story - it even had a clown prince!
December 19, 2024
Ugh…the author is so self-aggrandizing that it’s hard to get beyond it to the otherwise asinine commentary and blatant Trump ass kissing. BUT, I gave the book 2 stars because it did seem to spill the beans on a lot of internal/behind the scenes administration bickering that we saw some of in the media. And it made to laugh to read about how inept the administration was. It gives me hope for the future.
December 7, 2022
honesty Trump assessment
This is a revealing and what I believe to be an honest assessment of what went wrong for Trump without going on the defense. Navarro accepts responsibility for the areas where he was unable to deliver what Trump wanted, and why. Great read and interesting to see a different perspective of about certain DC creatures.
This is a revealing and what I believe to be an honest assessment of what went wrong for Trump without going on the defense. Navarro accepts responsibility for the areas where he was unable to deliver what Trump wanted, and why. Great read and interesting to see a different perspective of about certain DC creatures.
May 15, 2025
Trying to make sense of Trump's 2nd term implications by reading the thoughts of who is claimed to be among his "chief ideologists". The book is written in a very informal style and without having to agree to anything that the author claims, it does reinforce the feeling of the high volatility and uncertainty that should be factored into daily world affairs that have any relation to US.
October 26, 2022
Great Read and Even Better Advise for 2024
Peter Navarro tells it like it is and leaves a trail of skeletons in his wake. I hope President Trump takes heart and heeds his advise when mounting his 2024 campaign!
Peter Navarro tells it like it is and leaves a trail of skeletons in his wake. I hope President Trump takes heart and heeds his advise when mounting his 2024 campaign!
July 28, 2023
Interesting inside information! I hope Trump listens to Navarro's advice! I certainly will be unhappy to hear that Jared and that includes Ivanka worm their way back in. I knew that she was not a true MAGA person long ago when she spoke at her father's convention.
October 11, 2022
The title is misleading. A lot of complaining.
November 8, 2022
I respect Peter Navarro for his openness and professionalism.
March 18, 2023
Great Book
Peter does a great job, from the inside, explaining what went wrong in the Trump WH. He names the good guys and the bad guys and lays out a path to victory in 2024.
Peter does a great job, from the inside, explaining what went wrong in the Trump WH. He names the good guys and the bad guys and lays out a path to victory in 2024.
April 21, 2024
Great book. I have read many books written by Trumps cabinet and there is a theme of everyone power grabbing and betrayal.
September 14, 2024
I'm really not sure of Navarro's take on things. He seems against almost everything and everyone related to the Trump administration. His take just doesn't jive with what others have said
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews