The extraordinary authority of the American presidency has no parallel in the democratic world. In January 2017, that power was placed in the hands of Donald J. Trump-and rarely, if ever, has the nature of a president clashed more profoundly with that of the office. From the day of his inauguration, Trump challenged our most cherished assumptions. We expect a president to be honest, or to give the appearance of honesty; to conduct public affairs with the public good in mind; and to resist the temptation to pardon friends and prosecute enemies. But where did these expectations come from? How severely have they been damaged? And can they once again be made whole? In Unmaking the Presidency, Susan Hennessey and Benjamin Wittes situate Trump-era scandals and outrages within the deeper context of history, rummaging through the annals of executive misconduct to reveal how previous presidents have abused their office and been held responsible, and how Trump has invented categories of misrule and impunity all his own. By subjecting his administration to the clarifying light of history, this book offers a crucial and durable account of a presidency like no other. Book jacket.