When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences

The book explores how deliberate lies told by U.S. presidents have shaped American history and foreign policy. Alterman examines major episodes of presidential deception—from Franklin Roosevelt’s misrepresentations about World War II, through Lyndon Jonson's distortions of the Gulf of Tonkin incident, to Ronald Reagan’s Iran-Contra cover-ups. He argues that such lies often arise from the tension between democratic accountability and the perceived need for secrecy in national security. The book highlights not only the immediate political gains these presidents sought but also the long-term consequences—eroding public trust, distorting policy decisions, and weakening democracy. By tracing these episodes, Alterman reveals a troubling tradition of official dishonesty at the highest levels of government.