Roy Cohn’s legal playbook served as a model for Donald Trump

In the new book ‘American Scoundrel’, author Kai Bird explores the life of Roy Cohn, describing him as a primary model and teacher for Donald Trump’s political and legal behavior.

Cohn, a prominent lawyer, was known for his role as Chief Counsel to Joe McCarthy and for prosecuting Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. He later represented various high-profile figures, including Mafia bosses and real estate billionaires. Bird suggests that Cohn’s specific tactics—such as never admitting wrongdoing, constant denial of allegations, and using legal delays to obstruct proceedings—became a blueprint for Trump’s approach to presidency and legal challenges.

During an interview on NPR’s ‘Fresh Air’, Bird noted that Cohn frequently attacked judges by name and operated under the belief that rules applied to others but not to him. Bird suggests that Cohn’s ability to avoid consequences during his own indictments in the 1960s was partly due to luck, such as mistrials caused by unexpected personal emergencies involving jurors or lawyers.