The Strange Reality Behind Trump’s Phone Calls

Podcast: The Daily Beast Podcast
Host: Joanna Coles
Guest: Michael Wolff
Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engrossing episode, Joanna Coles is joined by journalist and author Michael Wolff for a deep dive into an oddly fascinating topic: the central role of the telephone in Donald Trump’s personal and political life. Drawing from years of direct experience, Wolff shares candid insights about Trump’s phone habits, how—and why—he calls people, the unique ways he engages (or dominates) conversations, and what his approach to communication reveals about the man himself. The episode serves as both a character study and a look behind the scenes at how power, personality, and loneliness are intertwined via the ever-present phone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Obsession with the Phone

• Constant Communication: Trump "must always be talking to somebody," whether in person or on the phone. Even with others present, he’ll often be simultaneously on a call.

  “If there are not people in the same room as he is, who he is talking to...he is on the phone, or often when they are there, he is on the phone with someone else.” — Michael Wolff (02:52)

• Purpose of Calling: Early on, Trump’s calls to journalists were driven not by outrage over being written about, but rather by exclusion—he was upset not to be included, regardless of relevance to the story.

  “It's not, you wrote this about me and it's wrong. It's you didn't write this about me. And because you didn't write this about me ... the article is wrong.” — Michael Wolff (05:52)

2. Directness & Transparency

• Calls Reporters Himself: Unlike most public figures, Trump often calls journalists directly rather than using PR staff, and he prefers direct, oral communication.

  “There was something kind of nice ... honest ... about the fact that Donald Trump called you himself.” — Michael Wolff (08:04)

3. The John Barron Persona & Self-Leaking

• Self-Leaks: Trump has a long history of leaking stories about himself, using the alias ‘John Barron’ in his New York days—and staff still jokingly use “John Barron” as shorthand for information leaked by Trump.

  “Within the White House … if something appears … where does that come from? They go, John Barron.” — Michael Wolff (04:54)

4. Trump’s Phone Habits as President

• Rotating Call List: Trump’s circle of regular phone contacts is dynamic but mostly unchanged, featuring Fox News personalities, real estate associates, and the occasional journalist.

  “The call list kind of morphs, but slowly...people on his call list...I know these people.” — Michael Wolff (18:07)

• Dominance, Not Dialogue: It’s a one-way street; Trump rarely seeks input—he’s “always on transmit, never on receive.”

  “There's never a conversation. What do you think about her? What do you think I should be doing...He doesn’t want that. He wants to tell you what he thinks and then for you to confirm that.” — Michael Wolff (28:50)

• Loneliness as Motivation: With few real friends or close family nearby, Trump uses phone calls as a surrogate for human connection but fails to achieve genuine interaction.

  “He’s lonely, and this is his way of reaching out and sort of dominating the person he’s talking to.” — Joanna (19:11)

• No Off Switch: Calls start as soon as he wakes (around 7 a.m.), and late-night “Truth Social” posts fill any remaining silence.

  “He’s lying in bed calling people.” — Michael Wolff (22:51)

5. Technological Preferences and Avoidance

• No Email or Texting: Trump is averse to emails and texting, possibly due to dyslexia, dislike of leaving a “trace,” or both.

  “He does not...and continues not to use email...It's all a verbal thing.” — Michael Wolff (12:13)

6. Staff as Gatekeepers and Handlers

• Phone Management: Staff sometimes change Trump’s number or remove contacts to limit unwanted calls (e.g., Rudy Giuliani or certain reporters).

  “They changed the number so Rudy Giuliani couldn't call him anymore...Sometimes the staff will take his phone and take people out of the phone.” — Michael Wolff (01:50 / 36:58)

• Assistance with the Device: Sometimes Jared Kushner or aides hold and dial the phone for Trump, who may struggle with dialing or rely on speed-dial.

  “I believe Jared got the person on the phone and then handed the phone.” — Michael Wolff (12:09)

7. A Broadcast—Not a Conversation

• Monologue Style: Whether in person or on the phone, calls with Trump are largely monologues—occasionally unmoored and incoherent, but always performed as “broadcast.”

  “It's just broadcast and it's frequently incoherent.” — Michael Wolff (33:59)

• Interchangeable Ears: The content is often repeated to whoever is willing to listen, indicating that for Trump, the listener is incidental.

  “You are...just a person on the end of the phone...That can go on for literally anyone.” — Michael Wolff (21:54)

8. Rewards & Repercussions of Being on “The List”

• Inner Circle Dynamics: Regulars can expect daily calls—and sometimes business perks.
• Dealing with Hostility: Falling out of favor—such as being sued by Trump—results in removal from his contact list and exclusion from “the show.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Being Called by Trump:

  “You don't have a second to kind of process that the President of the United States is calling you up ... then he launches into whatever he's going to say.” — Michael Wolff (15:23)

• On the End of a Trump Call:

  “He does the thing...It's a set of instructions: 'You let me know about this,' 'Let's get together' ... but sometimes it happens.” — Michael Wolff (20:58)

• On Technology Avoidance:

  “It's very much inside his head—don't email; I don't make that mistake.” — Michael Wolff (13:05)

• On Connection and Isolation:

  “He doesn't really have a marriage. He doesn't really have...friends.” — Michael Wolff (33:08)

• On Each Phone Call’s Purpose:

  “What he's looking for is confirmation for what he already thinks.” — Michael Wolff (28:50)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:41] — The Trump Phone Narrative Begins
• [02:31] — Why a Phone-Focused Episode?
• [03:36] — Wolff’s Early Calls with Trump (Landline Era)
• [04:54] — “John Barron” & Self-Leaking
• [10:32] — Introduction of the iPhone to Trump’s World
• [12:27] — Trump’s Disdain for Email/Texts
• [15:23] — What it’s Like to Get a Call from Trump as President
• [18:07] — The Morphing, Enduring “Call List”
• [19:11] — Is Trump Just Lonely?
• [22:51] — Morning Routine: Trump Calls from Bed
• [28:50] — How Trump Seeks Only Confirmation, Not Advice
• [33:57] — Accessibility to Journalists vs. True Transparency
• [36:58] — Staff Blocking or Enabling Communication
• [38:07] — The Phone as Grappling Hook to Reality
• [39:52] — Closing Reflections on Why the Details Matter

Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, breezy, and sprinkled with humor—equal parts anthropological study and darkly comic social commentary. Joanna’s wry observations spar with Michael Wolff’s world-weary familiarity, creating a sense of exasperated fascination with their subject. The episode delivers both rich storytelling and incisive psychological reading: Trump’s relentless need to be heard, his inability to connect, and the absurdity—and danger—of leadership conducted by monologue.

Episode Takeaway

This episode offers a rare, detailed look not just at Trump’s idiosyncrasies, but at how personal quirks can shape power in modern politics. The phone isn’t just a tool—it’s a lifeline, a broadcast channel, and a window into the isolation and compulsions of Trump as a figurehead. For those wanting to understand the man beneath the constant media coverage, this is essential listening.

“In a government of one, it is most vital to understand who this person is, why he's doing what he's doing, what he's thinking...This is not about politics. This is about Donald Trump.”
— Michael Wolff (39:52)