The State of the American Presidency

The coronavirus has disrupted the American political and economic landscape. What did it reveal about America’s ability to handle in a true crisis? What happens in the next crisis? After nearly 50 years of reporting on the last nine presidents—from Nixon to Trump—two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward provides an in-depth, non-partisan, fact-driven analysis of the state of the American presidency and how crisis leads to expansion of presidential powers. The powers of the presidency had already evolved prior to Donald Trump’s election – with each previous president expanding the influence of the office in their own ways. Once in office, President Trump took unprecedented steps to accelerate the expansion of presidential powers, governing in ways Americans are not used to. Wherever legendary Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward goes, people ask what this precedent means for America’s future.