A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America

by Philip Rucker

“Listen,” Giuliani told Christie. “He’s going to offer you chief of staff tonight. “He just got off the phone with me,” Giuliani added, referring to Trump. “He told me that that’s the decision he’s made. You’re the best person in position for the reelect. You’re the smartest politician. You can run the place. He needs you.” “Rudy, is Jared leaving?” Christie asked. “No,” Giuliani said. “Why the fuck am I going to take this job?” Christie said. “You guys are nuts. I’m not going in there and [having] Jared down the hall.” As the train hurtled toward Union Station, Christie’s mind was racing. If Trump really was about to offer him chief of staff, he had to figure out what to say. So he called Jim Baker, a legendary former White House chief of staff under both President Reagan and President George H. W. Bush. Christie knew Baker and relied on his sage advice; when he was Trump’s transition chairman, Christie had spent two hours in Houston talking with Baker about staffing administrations. Baker picked up right away. “Governor,” he said, “if you’re calling me, you’re about to be offered the worst fucking job in America.”