Donald Rumsfeld has a new solitaire game out for iOS, with an Android version of the app on the way. The app is a version of solitaire favored by Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II. Rumsfeld has called it Churchill Solitaire and this trailer for Rumsfeld’s app explains why:
Yes, it’s that Donald Rumsfeld, U.S. Secretary of Defense from 2001 - 2006 during the George W. Bush administration. The one that Richard Nixon called “a ruthless little bastard” on the White House tapes. It’s the Donald Rumsfeld who helped install stress position torture techniques and once wrote “I stand 8-10 hours a day. Why is standing limited to four hours?”
But what did Donald Rumsfeld get up to when he wasn’t orchestrating some of the most consequential foreign policy decisions of the 21st century? Lots of solitaire, apparently.
The main difference between solitaire and Churchill Solitaire is, according to Rumsfeld’s app site, “two decks of cards, a “Devil’s Six” row of cards, and timed scoring.”
In a Medium post Rumsfeld explained the history behind the game and his motivation for developing an iOS and Android app and exactly what it’s like for an 83-year-old to dive into app development:
“I’ve reviewed wire frames and branding guides. I’ve spent countless hours on beta releases. I’ve signed off on something they call “UX.” I’ve put the game through its paces, offering suggestions and ideas to make it as closely resemble the game Churchill played.”
Churchill Solitaire is available for download now.
