Roy Cohn biography explores influence on Donald Trump

The new biography “American Scoundrel,” authored by Kai Bird and Susan Goldmark, examines the life of Roy Cohn, a prominent 20th-century lawyer. The book explores the parallels between Cohn’s legal and political tactics and those of Donald Trump.

Cohn, who served as chief counsel to Senator Joe McCarthy during the Red Scare and as a lawyer for Trump during early allegations of housing discrimination, is described as a figure whose guile and paranoia influenced American political behavior. The biography highlights how Cohn’s methods of denial and counterattack served as a blueprint for Trump’s own political instincts.