Readers are demonstrating a renewed appetite for insights into President Donald Trump, as a new book detailing his second term has achieved significant sales in its debut week.
Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, penned by political journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, has sold over 300,000 copies, according to publisher Simon & Schuster.
The sales performance mirrors figures seen during Trump’s initial term, a stark contrast to the more subdued reception of books about him in recent years. Publishers had previously speculated that public interest in Trump-related narratives had waned, with little new information believed to be available.
The impressive total encompasses preorders, physical book sales, ebooks, and e-audiobooks, alongside orders awaiting fulfillment due to high demand, the publishing house confirmed. Simon & Schuster reports the book is already in its third hard copy printing, with an additional 200,000 copies on order, following rapid sell-outs in bookstores and on Amazon. It marks the best first-week performance for any hardcover nonfiction book in 2026.
The book delves into the initial 14 months of Trump’s second presidency, offering readers an inside look at the West Wing, the White House residence, his Mar-a-Lago estate, journeys aboard Air Force One, and foreign trips undertaken by the president.
The White House was reportedly alarmed by the book, and Trump, who has a long-standing history with Haberman from her coverage of him as a New York City business and society figure, has dismissed the book as “mostly made up.” Haberman and Swan are currently reporters for The New York Times.
“We’re afraid some of our most sensitive conversations were being recorded,” an administration source told Axios earlier this month. “And we have no idea which ones.”
Their manuscript meticulously details Trump’s military decisions, his deployment of the Justice Department’s power against political adversaries, his discussions with other influential figures, and the considerable effort he dedicated to redesigning the White House’s aesthetics and structure.
A central thesis of the book posits Trump’s own belief: that had he not lost the 2020 election, his power in a second term would not have been as formidable as it is now. This, the authors suggest, emboldened him to disregard norms, dismantle established institutions, and push the boundaries of presidential authority.
Haberman and Swan have actively promoted the book across various news talk shows, sharing insights from their reporting, including an interview with Trump where he reportedly boasted about comparisons to historical villains.
Sean Manning, vice president and publisher at Simon & Schuster, stated the book “has entered the national conversation” and will endure as “a work of historic importance.”
