The latest release, American Scoundrel by journalists Kai Bird and Susan Goldmark, thrusts a harsh spotlight on the man many believe shaped Donald Trump’s ruthless playbook. Published on Tuesday, the book traces the “dark journey” of Roy Cohn from Joe McCarthy’s attack dog to the mentor who guided a young New York property developer through the cut‑throat corridors of power. As the narrative unfolds, it reveals a series of previously undisclosed conversations between Trump and the author, shedding light on the former president’s admiration for a figure whose legacy is now under intense scrutiny.
The Mentor’s Shadow: Roy Cohn’s Rise and Reach
Roy Cohn’s ascent was swift and brutal. Fresh out of Columbia Law at 20, he prosecuted the Rosenbergs for espionage, then became the chief operative for Senator Joe McCarthy during the Red Scare. By the time he turned 27, he graced the cover of Time magazine, a symbol of his meteoric rise. According to Bird, McCarthy was a populist figure who “simply looking to generate some headlines,” whereas Cohn was the “ideologue” and “real brain” behind the witch‑hunt. His drive stemmed from a desire to prove his loyalty as a Jewish American, countering stereotypes of left‑leaning Jews.
Cohn’s network extended deep into the conservative establishment. He cultivated close ties with Rupert Murdoch, Ronald Reagan and other reactionary luminaries. Yet his personal life was a tangled web of secrecy. Though definitively gay, he never publicly acknowledged his sexuality, maintaining a façade that included a “beard” – his former romantic partner Barbara Walters. His influence reached into the arts, with a portion of his archive housed by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, inspiring the song “Exhuming McCarthy.”
Trump’s Unspoken Debt: Secrets, Calls and Confessions
It was through this shadowy figure that a 27‑year‑old Donald Trump first entered the orbit of power in 1973. The book flips the usual account: rather than Trump approaching the seasoned lawyer at Le Club in Manhattan, it was Cohn who spotted the ambitious developer. “Roy Cohn recognized me. I was making a name for myself as a young developer in Manhattan,” Trump reportedly told Bird. This early encounter set the stage for a mentorship that would teach Trump how to “profit from ties to organized crime,” “stay a step ahead of the law,” and “remorselessly lie and never admit wrong or defeat.”
Bird’s attempts to secure media coverage for American Scoundrel met a wall of silence. “I told my publicist to reach out to any of the Fox News hosts and reporters, to Joe Rogan, Steve Bannon,” he said. “We haven’t gotten a peep, other than Joe Rogan. He said he looked at the galleys, and he got back to my publicist and said, ‘I’m not interested.’ I’m kind of surprised. This is a serious biography of the president’s mentor, whom he publicly admires and says he still misses.”
The author finally reached Trump directly, dialing his personal number four times. Each call lasted roughly eight to ten minutes. During one conversation, Trump’s tone shifted from courteous to curt. “Oh, I can’t do this. I don’t have time for this. You shouldn’t be using this number. I’m the president. I have Russia calling. I have China calling,” Trump said. When Bird pressed about Cohn’s 1976 vote for Jimmy Carter, Trump’s reaction was candid. “Ah, that’s unbelievable. Why would he do that?” he asked. Bird explained that Cohn was “kind of fed up and impatient with the old guard Republican party symbolized by Gerald Ford, and he thought Jimmy Carter was a fresh face.” Trump replied, “Oh, I can understand that. That makes sense.” The exchange underscored Trump’s lingering frustrations with the Republican establishment.
Later, the dialogue turned to Carter’s Panama Canal treaty, which Cohn quickly denounced. “Yeah, that was a terrible deal. What a terrible deal!” Trump interjected. As the call drew to a close, Trump offered a surprising endorsement. “Oh, terrific, maybe I can promote it. Anything I promote goes to number one.” After a pause, he added, “Of course, it would have to be fair.”
A Life of Deceit and Desire: The Dark Portrait
American Scoundrel paints a multifaceted picture of a man capable of both charm and predation. Bird recounts the story of Gary Belis, who dated Cohn despite a 25‑year age gap. “He could be very charming with someone like Gary Belis and sort of decent,” Bird noted. “He courted him, gave him favors as Roy would, but he backed off when Gary indicated he couldn’t go down that path.” Yet the same chapter, titled “Predator,” also details the harrowing case of Richard Kerr, a Northern Irish boy abused in care and later trafficked, allegedly to Cohn.
Cohn’s sexuality, though never publicly acknowledged, manifested in a pattern of relationships that blurred the line between mentorship and manipulation. Bird suggests that Cohn was “quite definitely attracted to Donald Trump. When he met him, Trump was 27 years old. He was tall, blonde, blue‑eyed. Wealthy, somewhat. So he was Roy’s type.” While Bird believes “nothing sexual went on between them,” the dynamic was undeniable.
The mentor’s final years were marked by illness and professional ruin. He died in 1986 at 59 from AIDS, a fact he concealed, claiming instead to have liver cancer while receiving experimental treatment thanks to Washington connections. His career ended with disbarment for unethical conduct after three indictments failed to topple him. Yet even in his decline, Trump’s loyalty was contested. The phrase “Donald pisses ice water” became a shorthand for alleged abandonment, though Bird cautions that the full story is more nuanced. Switchboard operator Chris Seymour recalled that when Trump realized Cohn was dying, he “began to keep his distance. He didn’t rely on him as much, as his lawyer. The calls were fewer. But that didn’t mean he cut him off.” In March 1986, just five months before his death, Trump invited Cohn to a “fabulous dinner” at Mar‑a‑Lago. The farewell was “touching,” with many toasts. At Cohn’s memorial service in midtown Manhattan, Trump was seen weeping.
The Echoes of a Scandal: Why It Resonates Today
The parallels between McCarthy’s era and Trump’s current stance on “woke” culture are striking. Both men employed a rhetoric of existential threat to mobilise supporters, and both left a trail of legal and ethical breaches that continue to reverberate. As the United States grapples with questions of accountability and the role of power in shaping public discourse, American Scoundrel offers a timely reminder that the tactics employed by figures such as Roy Cohn have not vanished; they have merely evolved. The book’s release arrives at a moment when political conversations are increasingly focused on the origins of contemporary leadership styles, making it a crucial text for anyone seeking to understand the underpinnings of today’s polarizing politics.
Why it Matters
The emergence of American Scoundrel forces a national reckoning with the hidden architects behind modern political upheavals. By exposing the symbiotic relationship between a cunning lawyer and a budding real‑estate magnate, the work underscores how the tactics of fear, misinformation, and personal attacks have been honed into a potent political formula. In an age where the line between entertainment, media, and governance continues to blur, understanding the origins of such strategies is essential for safeguarding democratic discourse. The book’s revelations not only illuminate a dark chapter of American history but also serve as a cautionary tale for future leaders and citizens alike, reminding us that the ghosts of the past can shape the present—and the future—if left unchallenged.
