According to a new book by Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt, “Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power,” President Donald Trump once offered Rep. Anna Luna his bed when she was feeling unwell during a flight on his personal jet in the summer of 2023.
“If you need a bed to lay down in, there’s one here on the plane. If you feel sick and you need to lay there, you can lay on it,” Trump reportedly told the pregnant Florida congresswoman. “Just don’t tell Melania. She doesn’t like other women on my bed,” he allegedly joked, according to Isenstadt’s account.
The book, which is being released on March 18, features “never-before-reported” moments in Trump’s return to the White House following his victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Based on extensive research, including over 300 interviews, it provides an inside look at Trump’s campaign and his relationships with various political figures.
Among the revelations, the book claims Trump made candid remarks, filled with expletives, about E. Jean Carroll and Stormy Daniels, both of whom have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Juries in New York previously found Trump liable for defaming and sexually abusing Carroll after he repeatedly called her a liar for speaking publicly about allegations that he assaulted her in the 1990s.
The book also details Trump’s response to former President Joe Biden’s claims that Trump would seek revenge if reelected. In March 2024, Trump reportedly told aides, “Listen, everybody. There will be no retribution, there will be no revenge. Wink, wink,” suggesting his true intentions might differ from his public statements.
Isenstadt’s work reveals tensions between Trump and fellow Republicans, including a falling out with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. After Graham criticized Trump’s decision to oppose a plan to ban abortion after 15 weeks, Trump reportedly said that someone should tell Graham they were not friends anymore.
The rift marked a rare break between the two politicians who had previously maintained a close alliance. Trump blamed Graham for publicly disagreeing with his stance that abortion should be left up to individual states rather than regulated at the federal level.
According to the book, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was also the subject of Trump’s critical comments. “I’m going to squash this guy like a bug,” Trump allegedly told then-Ohio Senator J.D. Vance in 2023 when DeSantis prepared to run against him in the Republican presidential primary. Vance later became Trump’s running mate and now serves as Vice President.
In another instance aboard his private plane, Trump reportedly disparaged DeSantis while the governor sought his endorsement. “He was like a beggar. I could have said: ‘Drop to your [expletive] knees, Ron,'” Trump said, according to Isenstadt’s account.
The book further claims that Trump insulted both Senator Tom Cotton and casino mogul Steve Wynn after Wynn suggested Trump consider Cotton as his running mate. Trump allegedly expressed surprise at Steve Wynn’s assessment of Tom Cotton’s charisma, suggesting Wynn’s opinion was misguided due to a lack of insight. The remark seemed to allude to Wynn’s retinitis pigmentosa.
The book also highlights Trump’s management style, with an anecdote about him firing an employee who made a mistake on his private plane. “He’s [expletive] fired. Get him fired now. Have someone walk him off the property,” Trump allegedly said, demonstrating his direct approach to personnel issues.
The book even includes Trump’s criticism of his family members. According to Isenstadt, Trump disparaged his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s push for criminal justice reform during his first administration, saying that it was Jared’s thing, emphasizing that Jared was a Democrat.
Trump’s White House communications director, Steven Cheung, has vigorously disputed the book’s claims. In a statement to The Independent, Cheung said that “fiction” books like these “belong in the bargain bin of the fantasy section” of a bookstore.
Isenstadt, who serves as a Senior Political Reporter at Axios and previously worked as a National Political reporter at Politico covering Trump since 2015, has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.
“Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power” is published by Hachette Books and will be available for purchase starting Tuesday, March 18.
