As Joe Scarborough and "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski observed Donald Trump's political rise in 2016, they found themselves uttering the same line to each other: "This ends badly."
But it wasn't always that way. During their first meeting in 2003, Scarborough was amused by Trump's swagger and bigger-than-life persona. He and Brzezinski found him engaging and generous, if terribly insecure, and Trump made entertaining appearances on the MSNBC hosts' show.
But as Trump became an unstoppable political force toward the end of 2015, with his giant rallies and rambling speeches laced with bigotry, Scarborough saw his friend in a disturbing new light. He attacked Trump on TV and in his Washington Post column, becoming one of the most prominent conservative voices to speak out, even as the anxious candidate continued calling him to vent and ask for advice. As Trump's new presidency sputtered, the relationship again ruptured, culminating in the president's ugly and infamous Twitter attack against Brzezinski in June 2017.
THIS ENDS BADLY will finally reveal the full story of Scarborough's falling out with Donald Trump and how Scarborough came to fear his old friend inflicting permanent damage on the presidency. The ultimate political insider, Scarborough's must-read account is propelled by insights and revelations from his private conversations with the president, as well as figures like Jared Kushner, Mike Pompeo, John McCain, Paul Ryan, and many more.
