PETER BERGEN

All the Presidents’ Wars

2026 is the twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11, the most devastating attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor. Within days, the U.S. began to declare its war on terror: “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists,” President Bush proclaimed. The resulting war on terror cost trillions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of lives, a series of misguided wars, and the damaged perception of American power. And yet despite its blunders, this campaign has kept America safe from large-scale foreign attack.

“Peter Bergen delivers the best overview of America’s post-9/11 wars that I’ve seen. He does thoughtfully and fairly, laying out the facts and then coming to solid, even-handed conclusions. Anyone who wants to understand American foreign policy needs to read this masterful account.
Essential reading—and, as a bonus, well-written.” —Thomas E. Ricks, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Fiasco

“Peter Bergen lifts the proverbial ‘fog of war’ to provide a brilliantly clear and much-needed reckoning with America’s twenty-five-year Global War on Terror. With an even hand and expert skill, he holds U.S. presidents and policymakers accountable for blunders of historic proportion.” ––Jane Mayer, New Yorker staff writer, author of The Dark Side

“With his signature clarity and unparalleled insight, Peter Bergen traces the decisions made in the Oval Office and on the battlefield after 9/11—and the lasting consequences that followed. A timely, incisive, and compelling account of a war whose impact is far from over.” —Clarissa Ward, CNN Chief International Correspondent and author of On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist

“All the Presidents’ Wars is an unflinching look at the tragic mistakes and miscalculations of four U.S. administrations, as well as the quiet successes that thwarted terrorist plans for further attacks on the U.S. homeland. Drawing on decades of reporting, Bergen’s book is packed with revelations and fascinating insights. An important, deeply researched book, and a fascinating read.” —Joby Warrick, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS

The Cost of Chaos: The Trump Administration and The World

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, Editor’s Choice

“A respected national security analyst at New America and CNN, Bergen provides a deeply informed study, written with clarity and flair. Reflecting fresh research and nearly 100 interviews with some key players, his retelling of Trump’s foreign policy skillfully synthesizes what’s already known and adds gossipy tidbits… it is the best single account of Trump’s foreign policy to date.” —DEREK CHOLLET, WASHINGTON POST

“A fair and comprehensive overview of Trump’s foreign policy.” —MAX BOOT, FOREIGN AFFAIRS

“Timely . . . insightful . . . Through meticulously documented interviews and research, the author amply shows how the Trump administration has stubbornly stuck with this free-wheeling playbook of slash and burn.” —KIRKUS

“As Bergen, the author of several books on national security, shows, Donald Trump’s relationship to the American military is fraught because he has no understanding of the martial virtues and seems to assume that soldiering is simply a matter of violence, even uncaged brutality.” —NEW YORK TIMES (Editor’s Choice)

The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden

Named one of the Best Nonfiction Books of the Year by LOS ANGELES TIMES and KIRKUS REVIEWS
NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, Editor’s Choice
AMAZON, Editors’ Picks: Best History

“Meticulously documented…fluidly written…replete with riveting detail… It is a page-turner that weaves back and forth between the man and the terrorist, providing poignant glimpses of key figures and carefully chronicling all the missed opportunities, ignored warnings and strategic blunders of the United States.”
—New York Times, Louise Richardson, vice chancellor of Oxford University.

“The 20th anniversary of 9/11 is a good occasion for a detailed political biography of the architect of these attacks…The portrait he draws is intimate and detailed….”
—Washington Post, Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern studies, Princeton University

“Fine, rigorous and riveting account of the life of the founder of al-Qaida”
—The Guardian, Jason Burke

“A compelling, nuanced portrait of America’s erstwhile public enemy No. 1….Throughout, Bergen turns up revealing details and sharp arguments against received wisdom….Essential for anyone concerned with geopolitics, national security, and the containment of further terrorist actions.”
—KIRKUS, starred review

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