Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His Followers

by John W. Dean

midway through 1987 Trump decided to convert a space at the top of the Trump Plaza tower to an exclusive lounge for high rollers. But since the tower was already built and had pipes in the roof, the ceiling in the lounge had to be about a foot lower than usual to hide the infrastructure plumbing. But Donald liked high ceilings, so he swore mightily every time he visited the work site. After the reason for the low ceiling was explained to him, he said “Okay.” Then he would explode the next time he visited the workplace. One day after the ceiling was finished Trump led a group of twenty executives and contractors on a tour of the new lounge. “Donald looked up at the ceiling as if it was the first time he had seen it; then he looked at Steve [Hyde]. ‘What the fuck is this?’ he said. ‘Who said to make this ceiling so low?’ ‘You knew about this, Donald,’ Steve replied. ‘We talked about it, if you remember, and the plans—’ Suddenly Donald leaped up and punched his fist through the ceiling. Then he turned on Steve in a rage. ‘You cocksucker! Motherfucker! Where the fuck were you? Where was your fucking head?’ ”