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Roy Cohn influence on Donald Trump

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2026-09-08 10:51 UTC → 2026-09-21 07:30 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Recent accounts have examined the historical influence and personal character of lawyer Roy Cohn, specifically regarding his relationship with Donald Trump. Cindy Adams provided personal recollections of Cohn, describing his personality and habits. She noted that during periods of legal difficulty, Trump expressed a desire for Cohn’s presence, asking, “You remember what Roy said?” Historian Kai Bird and Susan Goldmark, in the biography ‘American Scoundrel’, further explored this connection. The authors characterize Cohn as a “nefarious, minor, awful figure” who acted as a mentor and fixer. The book examines parallels between Cohn’s legal and political tactics—developed during his time as chief counsel to Senator Joe McCarthy and as a lawyer for Trump during early housing discrimination allegations—and those of Donald Trump. In an interview on NPR’s ‘Fresh Air’, Bird expanded on these connections, noting that Cohn frequently attacked judges by name and ~~Goldmark suggest~~ operated under the belief that rules applied to others but not to him. Bird suggests that Cohn’s ~~methods~~ specific tactics—such as never admitting wrongdoing, constant denial of ~~denial, counterattack,~~ allegations, and ~~paranoia served as~~ using legal delays to obstruct proceedings—became a blueprint for Trump’s ~~political instincts, highlighting how Cohn’s legacy of unethical tactics continues~~ approach to ~~influence modern political~~ the presidency and ~~leadership approaches.~~ legal challenges. Bird also noted that Cohn’s ability to avoid consequences during his own indictments in the 1960s may have been due to luck, such as mistrials caused by unexpected personal emergencies involving jurors or lawyers.

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