Those in government and industry tasked with protecting American information systems face a daunting task that requires trust, communication, and collaboration. On 20 January 2017, these individuals wondered how their complicated and sometimes chaotic world was about to change. Charlie Mitchell's book Cyber in the Age of Trump provides a detailed journalistic account of the ways in which one of the most polarizing and disputatious leaders in American history influenced the progression of the nation's efforts to secure its information technology. Mitchell sets the stage by painting a picture of an existential threat to democracy and an incoming administration disinterested in driving the cybersecurity debate, preoccupied by other policy issues, and consumed with defending the validity of the 2016 election.... Rather than theory building, Mitchell's book focuses on the cybersecurity community's perspectives and incorporates an impressive breadth of opinions from across industry and government. Mitchell demonstrates a clear (though not entirely unwarranted) distaste for President Trump and saves any praise for the final chapter. The book may be useful for foreign policy generalists seeking to learn cybersecurity issues or academics seeking detailed discussions of cyber policymaking.... Those familiar with the Trump administration's approach to complicated policy issues will find the account quite familiar--inattention, distraction, flouting allies, and incremental achievements by working-level employees.
