The Presidency of No Restraint

Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan explain what it means for Donald Trump to be operating with few limits.

Marc Patrick / BFA September 17, 2026, 1:25 PM ET Share Save Few reporters understand as much about Donald Trump’s thinking, motives, and behavior as Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. Haberman has been covering the president closely for more than a decade at The New York Times ; she started with his first campaign in 2015, and her record of scoops quickly brought her into the public eye. Swan was, for many years, her chief professional rival: He worked for Axios , where he landed a controversial 2018 one-on-one interview with Trump . In late 2022, the Times announced that it was hiring Swan, turning the rivals into colleagues.