Retribution - by Jonathan Karl (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The must-read new book from Jonathan Karl, the author of New York Times bestsellers Tired of Winning, Betrayal, and Front Row at the Trump Show

In Retribution, Jonathan Karl's unparalleled access brings us behind closed doors deep inside the White House and presidential campaigns, revealing the extraordinary moments that ended one man's presidency and brought another back to power.

This is a story of unprecedented political plot twists, showing what happened behind the scenes as political fortunes fell and rose again, and as a new team coalesced around President Trump with the goal of creating an entirely new world order. From President Biden's shocking withdrawal and Vice President Harris's historic run, to the multiple assassination attempts on President Trump, his election, and the changes he has brought to every corner of the country, this book reveals in surprising new detail how we got here, and what we can expect from American politics in the years to come.

Review Quotes

Praise for Retribution
"An exceptionally brilliant portrait of how politics pulled America, kicking and screaming, into 2025 by one of the best, toughest, and non-partisan reporters the United States is so very fortunate to have. A reporting triumph." --Bob Woodward, associate editor at The Washington Post and author of 23 books

"Retribution is a well-reported, fast-paced account of how Trump triumphed and what it means for the way he's governing now. It's both fascinating and timely." --Walter Isaacson, journalist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and The Code Breakers

"While it's often easy to dismiss, ignore or forget head-spinning events in our Tik-Tok world, Jonathan Karl has documented in clear, concise reportorial detail the historic, often bewildering parade of politics in 2024 that led to Donald Trump's second run and successful return to the Oval Office." --Mike Barnicle, award-winning journalist and contributor on MSNBC's Morning Joe

"Somehow, Jonathan Karl always gets the truth. Without a doubt, this is the definitive account of why Donald trump rose from the political ash heap and what comes next." --Frank Luntz, author of Words That Work and What Americans Really Want...Really

"Across soon-to-be-four massive bestsellers about President Trump, Jon Karl has never stopped his constant reporting, convening, gleaning. Retribution crowns the essential reported quartet of a presidency that will be studied till the end of time." --Mike Allen, co-founder, Axios

"A new standard in presidential recklessness. ... Though last fall's election results prevented a special counsel investigating Donald Trump from showing his findings in court, Karl's reporting fills in some blanks. ... Maybe [Trump] won't 'topple American democracy, but he has shown how it can be done.' Karl's warning stands atop powerful evidence. A journalist unearths information revealing that the president is even more dangerous than previously thought." --Kirkus

Praise for Jonathan Karl:
"The definitive account, by one of our most insightful reporters." --Walter Isaacson, on Tired of Winning

"Karl has a reporter's eye and ear for the truth." --Bob Woodward, on Tired of Winning

"A terrific psychological window into Donald Trump...Jonathan's book is the best thing I've read on that period." --Tim Alberta, The Ezra Klein Show, on Tired of Winning

"Tired of Winning... is the most important thing that has been written to date about what is in front of the American people in the next presidential election." --Nicolle Wallace, on Tired of Winning

"Adds substantially to the record of this parlous period--especially in the chaos of its final months. On substance...Karl shows no hesitance or equivocation. Karl sees Trump as a past, present, and future threat to the orderly process of American politics and the constitutional separation of powers far beyond that posed by past presidents (or would-be presidents)." --NPR, on Betrayal

"A second riveting and horrifying read about how close America came to disaster." --The Guardian, on Betrayal

"A must-read. I've read every book about the Trump presidency. This is the best." --Bill Press, on Front Row at the Trump Show

"The Constitution is strict: It says we must have presidents. Fortunately, we occasionally have reporters as talented as Jonathan Karl--an acute observer and gifted writer--to record what presidents do. Karl is exactly the right journalist to chronicle the 45th president, who is more--to be polite--exotic than his predecessors." --George F. Will, on Front Row at the Trump Show

About the Author

Jonathan Karl is the chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Karl has covered every major beat in Washington, D.C., including the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and the State Department. He has reported from the White House under four presidents and fourteen press secretaries. He is a former president of the White House Correspondents' Association. Front Row at the Trump Show, Betrayal, and Tired of Winning were instant New York Times bestsellers.