Author Kurt Andersen has revealed details of his upcoming satirical novel 'The Breakup', which envisions President Donald Trump dying of a brain stroke and the violent aftermath that follows. The book, set in 2035, depicts Trump celebrating his 89th birthday at Trump Tower before suffering a massive brain stroke on his golden escalator.
Immediate chaos and conspiracy theories
According to Andersen, chaos erupts immediately as guests begin circulating conspiracy theories that Trump's death was a "deep-state assassination." The crowd floods the streets in furious protest. Andersen told The Daily Beast Podcast: "It's the first spectacular piece of violence, spontaneous violence that then results a year later in an uprising, in a, in a true right-wing uprising, terrorist uprising."
Writing process and plot darkening
Andersen started writing the novel before Trump won re-election in 2024, with the manuscript "basically done" by the time he was inaugurated in 2025. However, he chose to "darken" the plot as Trump's second term progressed. "This time, the horror show of this term, the nightmare beyond what I expected," Andersen explained. "In the last year and a half, in the last three years since I was began writing this book, it has become much less far-fetched than it seemed when I began."
The book is described by podcast presenter Joanna Coles as depicting the "breakup of America," tracing a 23-year romantic partnership crumbling alongside the nation.
Trump's health during second term
Andersen's novel arrives amid ongoing discussions about Trump's physical state during his second term. The book 'Regime Change' by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan revealed that during his first year back in power, Trump was "almost entirely housebound," traveling only between the White House and his properties. He allegedly told his team he was "done with rallies, done with campaigning" after the 2024 election.
Haberman and Swan noted that while Trump became more security-aware after two assassination attempts, there was another reason for staying indoors. "He had spent four years of the Biden presidency mocking his successor's age and clearly diminished stamina," they wrote. "But the fact that Trump had followed Biden by becoming the oldest man ever sworn into the office of the President did not mean he felt compelled to provide frequent health updates of his own. That he had aged since he last lived in the White House was obvious."
Staff noticed recurring bruising (initially attributed to handshaking, then aspirin), dozing off during meetings, and signs of hearing loss. Trump often cupped his hand behind his ear and asked reporters to repeat questions. Meetings with foreign dignitaries moved to the Oval Office from the East Room "in part because the acoustics were better, and he didn't have to stand for an hour."
