Trump Biographer Wolff Argues Incompetence Has a Purpose

Chaos and disorder within the Trump administration may be the point, but the risks are existential, President Trump's biographer says.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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In a podcast interview, author Michael Wolff posed the question to co-host Joanna Coles, 'Does the incompetence have a purpose?' Wolff pointed to the FAA's brief closure of the El Paso International Airport as one example of the administration's 'rank, utter astounding incompetence.' Wolff and Coles argued that Trump's willingness to remake reality and insist upon it, even when it's clear he lost the 2020 election, is part of a strategy to keep his administration loyal to him and defeat his perceived enemies.

Why it matters

Wolff's analysis suggests that Trump's embrace of incompetence and chaos within his administration may be a deliberate tactic to maintain power and control, even if it comes at the expense of effective governance. This raises concerns about the long-term risks to democratic institutions and the rule of law.

The details

Wolff pointed to the FAA's brief closure of the El Paso International Airport as an example of the administration's 'rank, utter astounding incompetence.' The original explanation for the planned 10-day closure was that the Defense Department had shot down Mexican cartel drones, but the flying material actually turned out to be just a party balloon, and the closure lasted a couple of hours. Wolff and Coles also argued that the Department of Justice's failed attempt to prosecute two of Trump's perceived political enemies, former FBI director James Comey and current New York Attorney General Letitia James, were apart of Trump's strategy to keep his administration loyal to him.

  • On February 15, 2026, the Daily Beast published the podcast interview with Michael Wolff.

The players

Michael Wolff

An author who has written a biography of President Trump.

Joanna Coles

The co-host of the Daily Beast's podcast 'Inside Trump's Head'.

Sean Duffy

A former congressman who joined Fox News as a weekend anchor and is now in charge of the Department of Transport.

Pete Hegseth

A National Guard officer who became a pro-Iraq war commentator on Fox News and is now in charge of the Department of Defense/War.

James Comey

The former FBI director who was a perceived political enemy of Trump.

Letitia James

The current New York Attorney General who was a perceived political enemy of Trump.

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What they’re saying

“Does the incompetence have a purpose?”

— Michael Wolff, Author (The Daily Beast)

“Two people that may have been fine as weekend co-hosts but have no business running a government department, no business.”

— Joanna Coles, Co-host of 'Inside Trump's Head' (The Daily Beast)

“It's the point that nobody can quite get their heads around this willingness to remake reality and then to insist upon it and not in any way to be caught out having done it. The election was stolen from him. Well, we know that it wasn't stolen from him. We know he didn't win.”

— Michael Wolff, Author (The Daily Beast)

“It is incompetent to say prosecute these enemies when, with any reasonable thought, you would understand that these prosecutions are not going to go forward. They are going to be thrown out in court. But what is the effect anyway of even insisting that this administration and then taking the steps to prosecute these people?”

— Michael Wolff, Author (The Daily Beast)

“So he makes this, this is the thematic point of this administration over and over and over again. And this willingness, you know, this all-or-nothing sense: I am going to do it. And I am willing to risk everything to do it, to be the guy who comes out to break the establishment or be broken by it.”

— Michael Wolff, Author (The Daily Beast)

What’s next

The White House has not yet responded to the Daily Beast's request for comment on Wolff's analysis.

The takeaway

Wolff's analysis suggests that Trump's embrace of incompetence and chaos within his administration may be a deliberate tactic to maintain power and control, even if it comes at the expense of effective governance. This raises concerns about the long-term risks to democratic institutions and the rule of law.