Fire & Fury: What Are We To Make of the Latest Book on Donald Trump?

It was an instant best-seller. The January 5, 2018 release of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff became an instant best-seller. US President Donald Trump tried vigorously to stop the release of the book, which no doubt make it even more attractive, especially for the ‘anti-Trump’ and ‘never-Trump’ crowd.

What are we to make of this book which is highly unflattering to the President? There are issues that are bigger than any one book, even if it is a runaway bestseller.

Let’s remember a important issues.

Freedom of Speech

We should be solidly behind the notion of free speech, even though it means people can be offensive and obnoxious. Without this freedom, all other freedoms will be at risk, including freedom of religion, conscience, and association.

Remember, however, in a free society there are justifiable limits to absolute free speech, like laws against liable, defamation, and perjury under oath. However, we face serious erosion of free speech through the twin threats of political correctness and hate speech laws.

So regarding Fire and Fury, Mr. Wolff has every right to publish a book and say what he wants … within reason. This also means that if he’s ‘got it wrong,’ he can take the flack that goes with inaccuracy and untruth.

Factual and accurate

Whether you are a journalist or scholar, professional and personal integrity demands that you ‘get it right.’ We need to use reliable, primary sources. Second hand sources are to be used sparingly if necessary and unreliable sources should not be used at all. Part of reason we have so much inaccurate and deceptive information in the public square is that people are more dedicated to ‘the narrative’ than they are to the truth. Where else can you explain the proliferation of ‘fake news,’ which is spreading deception, denial, and distortion. This should not be, especially for Spirit-led, Bible-believing Christians as well as all people of integrity.

Regarding Fire and Fury, there are legitimate serious questions about truth and accuracy. For example, in an interview, Mr. Wolff was asked to produce the evidence of his book. His reply: ‘My evidence is the book, read the book. …if it strikes a cord, if it rings true, it is true.’ By his own admission, Wolff said that some of his sources lied while other contradicted each other - yet he used ‘journalistic judgement’ that helped him arrive at a version he ‘believed to be true.’ Add to this mix the fact that at least 8 high profile people who were quoted in the book denied making such statements. Truth has a measuring rod and it is verified by credible external witnesses; it is not determined by perception, prejudice, or feelings.

Donald Trump has denounced the book in a tweet, saying it was ‘full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don’t exist.’ White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the book was ‘complete fantasy and just full of tabloid gossip.’ In the end, the reader will need to decide it is is true or not, or even whether the book is worth reading.

Five star? Be very careful

Within 8 days on Amazon, the book amassed a whopping 2,459 readers’ reviews who gave it 4.5 stars out of 5. This is a highly favourable. Does it mean the book is accurate? Does it mean it is worthwhile?

Nancy DeMoss, in her excellent teaching series ‘Deception and Discernment,’ spoke about an unnamed best-selling 'Christian book’ that was getting rave reviews, some even saying it was the next best book to the Bible itself. Yet, even lay Christian noted that there were serious Biblical and theological errors in the book. Amazingly, despite the clear omissions and distortions, people were prepared to overlook these deadly deficiencies because the book touched a chord in their hearts.

The moral of the story: just because a book is ‘Christian,’ popular, a best-seller, gets excited reviews, and, for that matter, published by a Christian publisher and sold in the Christian bookstore, does not mean it is right, correct, or true. A lack of discernment can be deadly.

If true, so what?

Let’s say that the book Fire and Fury is completely 100% true: that Donald Trump did not want to win the Presidency, that Melania Trump cried on election night, that key people said the President is an ‘idiot’ behind his back, that Ivanka wants to be the first female President … the question should be asked: So what? On the scale of White House and Washington gossip, it is mild.

Motivation should always be considered. Was the book written to bring better governance, fire-up the economy, put people to work, or bring peace on earth? Is it an honest attempt to bring light and accountability to the White House, or point out a scandal that threatens the national interest? Or is it a muck-racking, liable-filled, money-spinner?

This writer remembers an author who wrote best-selling, unauthorised biographies of very famous people. This person would conduct 1,000 interviews and, like a master jigsaw puzzler player, they pieced together a portrait that was detailed and, by all accounts, accurate. While there was indignation from the spokespersons of those famous individuals, the credibility of the book was not questioned. Having read two of this author’s books, I have to say they were very well-sourced and believable, though they were also thoroughly unflattering biographies.

Yet I ask the question: even if it is true, why tell it? What good will it do for society? No public figure is paid enough to put up with the bad publicity, criticism, scrutiny, and books written, intrusion of privacy, needless spotlight on family? If the book is well-researched and seeks to point out a serious scandal or injustice, then that’s a good thing. If it is merely to demean and embarrass a public servant, that’s another story.

Honour Leadership

Political leaders definitely need to be accountable and their actions and policies can be scrutinised and criticised. This is fair enough, especially in a democracy. However, Biblically-speaking, we are to be careful how we speak.

I Peter 2:17 says ‘Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.’

Exodus 22:28 commands that we don’t curse the ruler of thy people.’

Paul, referring to this verse, says in Acts 23:5f … for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.’

We are to honour political leadership, even if we don’t particularly like them or did not vote for them. People, especially Christians, need to be scrupulous in this area. Donald Trump is not the only polarising US President in modern history … Bill Clinton and George W. Bush … received hysterical opposition. Yet no one has experience the level of flack, from so many areas, even before taking the oath of office, as Donald Trump.

Whether you are ‘pro-Trump,’ ‘anti-Trump,’ or ‘never-Trump,’ God’s word is clear: You are commanded to pray for kings and all who are in authority (I Timothy 2:1-4). That includes the President of the United States. Let’s remember: that to be critical and disrespectful is part of the problem; that to pray, honour and be honourable is to be part of the solution.