Inside 'Regime Change': Trump Claims He is Above Stalin, Mao, Even Hitler

A forthcoming book titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump," authored by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, reveals that Trump has begun evaluating his presidential authority in world-historical terms.

The publication indicates Trump places himself in the lineage of historical conquerors, dictators, and strongmen who reshaped nations through fear and force.

Authors Haberman and Swan noted the evident pleasure and untroubled ease with which the U.S. president accepted a conceptual place alongside figures such as Mao and Hitler.

In interviews, Trump reflected on his power by comparing it to that of historical rulers such as Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Mao, and Stalin.

He argued that he possessed greater global reach because ancient and early modern rulers lacked contemporary transportation capabilities, stating that those past figures "didn't have airplanes."

Retribution and ‘Plot Twists’

Trump returned to office in 2025 with a strong desire for retribution against individuals he believed had wronged him.

According to the book, Trump sought to target Chris Krebs, a former official who rejected claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

After aides reminded him of Krebs's name, Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate the former official.

The book also highlights how Trump views high-level appointments through the lens of media production and optics.

When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's nomination faced scrutiny, Trump considered replacing him with Ron DeSantis, stating, "We need plot twists."

Trump ultimately retained Hegseth, who later regularly showed the president graphic footage of drone strikes, which one official referred to as "Hegseth's snuff films."

Furthermore, Trump explained his selection of John Ratcliffe as CIA director by stating, "If you were going to cast a guy to play CIA director, that's who you'd pick."

Geopolitical Views and Private Interactions

The manuscript details Trump's transactional and unorthodox approach to foreign policy and global leaders as well.

During a high-level Oval Office meeting, Trump remarked, "I'm not a big fan of Ukraine. Except their women. They keep winning Miss Universe."

He later described his public confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "great television" and "better than The Apprentice."

In private conversations regarding Latin America, Trump told several associates that "Venezuela could be America's 51st state and that he would appoint a governor to run it."

His interactions with European allies followed a similar pattern; while discussing plans for a triumphal arch in Washington, Trump called French President Emmanuel Macron to ask whether the Arc de Triomphe was dangerous, questioning, "What do you think, Emmanuel, do people jump off it?"

‘Look at Them Now’

Following the 2024 election, Trump took satisfaction in seeing technology industry leaders who had once opposed him seek his favor.

He described figures such as Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos as "kissing my ass" and remarked to Elon Musk, "They hated me ... and look at them now."

Domestically, the book reveals the administrative friction caused by external crises.

Senior White House officials held multiple meetings in the Situation Room to manage the political fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein controversy, focusing on its impact on Trump's supporters and allegations appearing in government documents.

Additionally, the book notes Trump was visibly shaken by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, learning of the event from his son Barron under anxious circumstances that mirrored concerns over Trump's own security following a 2024 assassination attempt.