Inside Trump's helter-skelter mind and decision-making | Nolan Finley Mar 17, 2025 Mar 17, 2025 Updated Jun 22, 2025 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… Lake Geneva recommends $580,000 bid for street improvements Lake Geneva restaurant owner honored for quick response Lake Geneva BID presents awards during annual meeting Lake Geneva considers speed bumps for slowing down traffic Democratic-backed Chris Taylor wins seat on Supreme Court Riga-Tony’s serves Italian with style, fun and flair Madison man arrested after $3.6M in meth found in vehicle by Illinois State Police Look Ahead: Happy Easter in Lake Geneva! Plus a best-selling author visit & local live music Cole Caufield becomes 2nd former Wisconsin player to score 50 goals in an NHL season In an unprecedented group of Frozen Four goalies, Wisconsin men's hockey's Daniel Hauser stands out Dodge County sheriff sues woman who claims she was illegally detained Trump: US Navy will begin Strait of Hormuz blockade after US-Iran ceasefire talks end without agreement Voting in Wisconsin's spring election runs through 8 p.m. today. Here's what you need to know Lake Geneva receives update on Hillmoor Zone 1 project Lake Geneva changes Highway 50 plat for planned path project 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 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