Donald Trump Courts The Atlantic: Inside the Unlikely Interview and His Latest Power Plays

When Donald Trump decides to dial up the charm, you know something strange is in the air. At a recent White House sit-down, Trump put on his best host act for Jeffrey Goldberg, the Atlantic’s editor-in-chief—no name-calling, no barbed insults, just a full-on charm offensive. Considering Trump’s usual beef with the magazine, this is about as rare as a snowstorm in Miami.

Atlantic reporters Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer managed to snag a lengthy interview for their new cover story, and the way it came together is almost as fascinating as what was said. The duo reached Trump directly on his cell phone—yes, really. If only all press requests were answered that easily. Trump admitted he agreed to the initial call just to see if the famously liberal magazine could play fair.

For what it’s worth, he hasn’t blasted the piece on Truth Social (yet). He did, however, take aim at the “Failing New York Times” and “ABC/Washington Post” over what he claimed are “fake polls from fake news organizations,” calling for investigations into election fraud. Classic Trump—if there’s a poll he doesn’t like, it’s got to be rigged.

Looking back, Trump’s 2024 win might seem inevitable, but after January 6th, it was anything but. On the call, he sounded genuinely jazzed about his early second-term wins, but true to form, there was a catch: he told the reporters that if he liked how they wrote the story, he’d consider talking to them again. The art of the deal, even with the press.

Goldberg described Trump as surprisingly low-key and attentive—intent on convincing the magazine that he’s both good at his job and good for the country. But Goldberg also noted it’s tough to reconcile this version of Trump with the one who regularly rages online, calling Ashley a “Radical Left Lunatic” and Michael a serial liar. The Atlantic, for its part, insists it’s not backing down from these attacks.

The juiciest Trump line? Comparing his two terms: “The first time, I had two things to do—run the country and survive… the second time, I run the country and the world.” Humility never was his strong suit.

Parker and Scherer also interviewed Steve Bannon, who stuck to his favorite conspiracy theory about the FBI and January 6th—a claim the reporters bluntly debunked. Bannon’s take on Trump’s comeback: “When you’ve come back from such long odds, you clearly feel, ‘I can do anything.’” That includes, apparently, laying claim to Greenland.

Trump brushed off his multiple indictments, saying, “Normally, it would knock you out… Yeah, it made me stronger, made me a lot stronger.” He even cracked that all those who indicted him are “looking for jobs now.” If resilience was an Olympic sport, Trump would be going for gold.

There were plenty more Trumpisms. To oil execs at Mar-a-Lago after 2016: “If I’m not president, you’re f***ed.” On missing out at the Kennedy Center: “I was always getting impeached or some bulls**t, and I could never enjoy a show.” And on his supposed coalition: “I got 38 percent of the male Black vote… 56 percent of Hispanics… every county along the Texas border.” For the record, the reporters say those numbers are totally off, but at least the direction of the claim was correct.

The article also details Trump’s heavy-handed approach with Republicans, pressuring them to back his nominees, especially on tariffs and economic policy. After their March phone chat, the reporters tried calling Trump again and got voicemail—he called back at 1:38 am, leaving no message. Some habits die hard.

Trump’s strategy with even his harshest critics? Try to win them over, or at least soften them up for next time. He loves the challenge—and apparently, the chase.

Despite his rocky relationship with the mainstream press, there’s no denying the Atlantic’s central thesis: love him or loathe him, Trump is, as they put it, “The Most Consequential President of the 21st Century.”