Even his aides couldn’t control him when he was running for president.
When Donald Trump was campaigning in the 2016 election, his advisers and aides had to figure out a way to give him advice so that he would he listen.
Trump’s aides had learned that some tactics worked better than others on the President-elect. They couldn’t tell him no — he wouldn’t listen to that — so instead, they figured out they had to deliver advice as a suggestion by some kind of affirmation.
Trump’s former aide Sam Nunberg found it worked to use flattering metaphors on the now President-elect — by comparing him to gold or marble, for example — and then contemplate how one might sell these precious materials to the American people.
This is one revelation in “Unprecedented: The Election that Changed Everything,” CNN’s book on the 2016 race that will be out December 6. It was written by CNN’s Thomas Lake with reporting from Jodi Enda, Susan Baer and CNN’s political team.
Trump’s been known to often cast aside advice from his top aides if it goes against his own values and principles. The messages on his Twitter account often showcase his unfiltered thoughts, where he has occasionally gone rogue against his campaign adviser to take a stand on prominent issues or publicly settle a dispute with an enemy.
He also makes most of his decisions based on his instincts over strategy from his top aides and advisers. He almost didn’t choose Mike Pence to be his running mate over Chris Christie because his instincts pointed to Christie for the role.
Own a piece of history: Order “Unprecedented” at CNN.com/book