Former President Donald Trump has a new book planned, one that contains 150 private letters sent to him. One of them is from Oprah, which says the following (among other things): “Too bad we’re not running for office. What a team!”
The collection, called “Letters to Trump,” is his second post-presidency book. According to Axios, the book includes letters from Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Princess Diana, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, Mario Cuomo, Arnold Palmer, Jay Leno, Liza Minnelli, Regis Philbin, and more. Also containing photos and Trump’s personal commentary about the letters, the book has a pre-order price tag of $99 and will be released April 25th.
Here’s what the book’s web page says about the contents:
“Before President Donald J. Trump created the most significant political movement in American history, he had already achieved tremendous success as one of America’s most prominent real estate moguls and acclaimed media personalities. In his latest book, published by Winning Team Publishing, Letters to Trump, reveals part of the incredible private collection of correspondence between President Donald J. Trump and the countless world leaders, celebrities, athletes, and business leaders who shaped the United States and the world!”
That whole paragraph was excellent hyperbole. It’s almost too easy to pick apart, especially the bits about Trump being a successful real estate mogul and creating the “most significant” American political movement. Clearly, the American Revolution is the obvious answer, or else we’d have no America. But the entire exercise is a throwback to when Trump’s celebrity had a different complexion.
Trump in the 1980s, 1990s, and especially the 2000s was the stock American rich man. Not the richest or most successful, but Trump has always mastered his personal brand’s allure, making it synonymous with wealth and all of the ups and downs it has. The Apprentice, while its ratings were never good after the first few seasons, represented the apex of Trump’s ability to demonstrate to America he was a good businessman in a controlled, glamorous environment, separate from the turmoil he faced near the end of the 20th century.
“Letters to Trump” rewinds the clock to when that’s who Trump was. Perhaps not all the letters will be absent of political content (especially the Kim Jong Un ones), but many definitely will. Before Trump became completely inseparable from a new, brash, and broadly unpopular type of conservatism, he was a celebrity and enjoyed its perks. He’s now offering you a glimpse into that world for just shy of one hundred bucks.
