Inside Trump's helter-skelter mind and decision-making | Nolan Finley Mar 17, 2025 Mar 17, 2025 Updated Jun 22, 2025 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save An acquaintance who worked in the first Trump administration offers some insight into the president's decision-making process. Nolan Finley kAm(9:=6 >@DE A6@A=6 DE2CE H:E9 724E\7:?5:?8[ 2?2=JD:D 2?5 ?68@E:2E:@? 367@C6 24E:?8[ %CF>A EFC?D E92E AC@46DD @? :ED 9625]k^AmkAmw6 368:?D H:E9 E96 564:D:@?[ 2?5 E92EVD H96? E96 32C82:?:?8 DE2CED]k^AmkAm%CF>AVD A@=:4J>2<:?8 :D DEC62> @7 4@?D4:@FD?6DD] p ?@E:@? A@AD :?E@ 9:D 9625 2?5 2=>@DE :>>65:2E6=J A@AD @FE @7 9:D >@FE9 2D 2 7:?:D965 AC@A@D2=]k^Am kAmw6 42? D66 4=62C=J E96 @FE4@>6 96 9@A6D E@ 249:6G6[ 3FE E96 AC@46DD 7C@> :562 E@ :>A=6>6?E2E:@? 42? 36 492@E:4 2?5 >2C<65 3J D92CA 4@FCD6 4@CC64E:@?D]k^Am People are also reading… Gateway helps graduate help family Gateway shows graduate the way to reaching career and life goals Bucks sign 7-foot center ahead of training camp Residents receive information about proposed transmission line project Lake Geneva Police Department’s expenses expect to increase by $411,000 in 2027 Pitcher providing little evidence Brewers should have confidence in him for playoffs Rookie wide receiver looks to continue Packers' decades-long tradition Kenosha Laborfest set to return in lakside park on Labor Day Lake Geneva Public Library to host paranormal investigator Kyle Harrison did himself no favors in Brewers' loss to Cubs by tipping pitches New pediatrician joins Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical Center Where does Brewers prospect Andrew Fischer rank on minors HR record? In Waunakee, it's live mariachi music amid the bananas, fried chicken and yogurt UW-Madison officer reprimanded for student interactions Cars & Company returns to raise money for children’s cancer research kAm%96 7@C>6C @77:4:2= @776C65 9:D @3D6CG2E:@? 2D 2 42FE:@? 282:?DE 86EE:?8 @G6CHC@F89E 23@FE 2?J 65:4E :DDF65 3J %CF>A F?E:= :E 24EF2==J 8@6D :?E@ 67764E[ 2?5 A6C92AD ?@E 6G6? E96?] r92?86D 42? 36 DF556? 2?5 4@?DE2?E]k^AmkAm~FE8@:?8 r2?25:2? !C:>6 |:?:DE6C yFDE:? %CF562F D2:5 H96? 2D<65 23@FE J6E 2?@E96C EH:DE :? E96 E2C:77 C68:>6 %CF>A :D :>A@D:?8 @? 9:D 4@F?ECJi Q%9FCD52J]Q %CF562FVD :>A=:42E:@? H2D E92E uC:52J H@F=5 3C:?8 J6E 2?@E96C 6A:D@56 :? H92E @?6 @7 9:D >:?:DE6CD 42==65 2 QADJ49@5C2>2[Q 2?5 @7 4@FCD6 :E 5:5]k^Am kAm%CF>A 92D :>A@D65[ C6A62=65 2?5 C6DE@C65 E2C:77D @? r2?252 2?5 |6I:4@ D@ >2?J E:>6D :EVD 92C5 E@ D2J 7@C 46CE2:? H96C6 E96 =6G:6D DE2?5]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm%96 AC6D:56?EVD 2AAC@249 E@ E2C:77D :==FDEC2E6D 9@H 9:D 96=E6C\D<6=E6C >:?5 H@C<D] w6 3642>6 6?2>@C65 @7 E2C:77D 2D 2 >62?D @7 25G2?4:?8 9:D p>6C:42 u:CDE 286?52 2?5 DE2CE65 :>A=6>6?E:?8 E96> H:E9@FE >@56=:?8 E96 4@?D6BF6?46D]k^AmkAmw:D s6A2CE>6?E @7 v@G6C?>6?E t77:4:6?4J Ws~vtX :D 7@==@H:?8 2 D:>:=2C DE@CJ =:?6]k^Am kAm%CF>A 42>6 :?E@ @77:46 56E6C>:?65 E@ 4FE E96 D:K6 @7 E96 7656C2= 3FC62F4C24J] w6 92?565 2 492:?D2H E@ t=@? |FD< 2?5 9:D E62> @7 J@F?8 86?:FD6D 2?5 E@=5 E96> E@ 92G6 2E :E]k^AmkAmqFE E92EVD 2== E96 :?DECF4E:@?D E96J 925 E@ H@C< H:E9] %96C6 H2D ?@ 82>6\E96@CJ 6I6C4:D6[ ?@ 56=:36C2E:G6 AC@46DD =2:5 @FE 7@C E96:C 4@DE\4FEE:?8 2?5 ?@ >6EC:4D 7@C 56E6C>:?:?8 H92E H2DE6[ 7C2F5 2?5 23FD6 @7 E2I 5@==2CD 24EF2==J =@@< =:<6] %96 :?5:D4C:>:?2E6 D=2D9:?8 92D 8:G6? :>A@E6?E s6>@4C2ED 2 92>>6C E@ FD6 282:?DE E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@?]k^Am kAm}@H E92E E96 @AA@D:E:@? 92D 925 2 492?46 E@ 82=G2?:K6[ %CF>A :D >2<:?8 |FD< D@>6H92E 244@F?E23=6 E@ E96 r23:?6E D64C6E2C:6D 2?5 :D E2=<:?8 23@FE FD:?8 2 D42=A6= E@ >2<6 >@C6 DJDE6>2E:4 4FED]k^Am kAm&<C2:?6 :D 2?@E96C 6I2>A=6] %CF>A H2?ED A6246 2E 2?J 4@DE] $@ 96VD 4C62E65 2 4C:D:D 6?G:C@?>6?E E@ =6G6C286 &<C2:?:2? !C6D:56?E '@=@5J>JC +6=6?D<JJ :?E@ 2446AE:?8 H92E6G6C 562= 96VD 92?565]k^Am kAmp 5:DCFAE:G6 =6256C :D?VE ?646DD2C:=J 2 325 E9:?8 :? 2 ?2E:@? H96C6 5JD7F?4E:@? :D D@ 7:C>=J 6?EC6?4965] qFE 42FE:@? >FDE 36 6I6C4:D65 E@ 2DDFC6 E92E :? D92<:?8 FA E96 DJDE6>[ :E 5@6D?VE 4@==2AD6]k^AmkAm%CF>AVD 72:=FC6 E@ @776C 2 4@>A6==:?8 C62D@? 7@C :>A@D:?8 E2C:77D 2?5 E@ 2CE:4F=2E6 2? 6?5 82>6 :D C@:=:?8 E96 64@?@>J] p?5 :EVD 6G:56?465 3J ?@E ;FDE E96 A=F?8:?8 DE@4< >2C<6E] qFD:?6DD6D 4C2G6 46CE2:?EJ] %96J 42?VE 492?86 E96:C DEC2E68:6D 6249 E:>6 %CF>A D=2AD @? 2 E2C:77 @C E2<6D @?6 @77]k^Am kAm|2?J 4@>A2?:6D 2C6 ?@H 32D:?8 E96:C A=2??:?8 @? 2 H@CDE\42D6 D46?2C:@] pDDF>:?8 2 3C@25 2?5 A2:?7F= E2C:77 C68:>6[ E96JVC6 D=:>>:?8 5@H? @A6C2E:@?D[ 4FEE:?8 ;@3D 2?5 C2:D:?8 AC:46D]k^AmkAm%9@D6 2C6 E96 32D:4 :?8C65:6?ED @7 2 C646DD:@?] x7 %CF>AVD F?5:D4:A=:?65 564:D:@?\>2<:?8 E9C@HD E96 64@?@>J :?E@ 2 5@H?EFC?[ 9:D @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ |2<6 p>6C:42 vC62E p82:? H:== 36 D9@CE\=:G65]k^Am Finley writes for The Detroit News: detroitnews.com. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular David Hoffmann: Local news can bring communities together Hello, I’m David Hoffmann. Like many of you, I’ve been thinking a lot about our country, our communities and how we find our way back to one another. Wisconsin should boost support for mental health clubhouses | Philip Connelly Gov. Tony Evers has done what he could to champion mental health. He declared 2023 “The Year of Mental Health,” and while he failed to secure … When everyday situations get awkward, what’s the ethical thing to do? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Some ethical decisions arrive without warning. We revisit four dilemmas that ask what you would do when the right choice isn't immediately obvious. WNBA ratings soar amid culture war over trans athletes | Lorraine Ali File under “stupid publicity stunt that I shouldn’t even be writing about, but here I am, writing about it.” The US can’t fake its way out of fiscal trouble | Bloomberg News The U.S. government, steward of the world’s largest economy, faces a darkening fiscal outlook as sovereign borrowing costs surge. Unfortunatel…
David Hoffmann: Local news can bring communities together Hello, I’m David Hoffmann. Like many of you, I’ve been thinking a lot about our country, our communities and how we find our way back to one another.
Wisconsin should boost support for mental health clubhouses | Philip Connelly Gov. Tony Evers has done what he could to champion mental health. He declared 2023 “The Year of Mental Health,” and while he failed to secure …
When everyday situations get awkward, what’s the ethical thing to do? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Some ethical decisions arrive without warning. We revisit four dilemmas that ask what you would do when the right choice isn't immediately obvious.
WNBA ratings soar amid culture war over trans athletes | Lorraine Ali File under “stupid publicity stunt that I shouldn’t even be writing about, but here I am, writing about it.”
The US can’t fake its way out of fiscal trouble | Bloomberg News The U.S. government, steward of the world’s largest economy, faces a darkening fiscal outlook as sovereign borrowing costs surge. Unfortunatel…
