A new biography titled 'American Scoundrel' by Kai Bird examines the life and legacy of Roy Cohn, the lawyer who rose to prominence during the McCarthy hearings and later became a mentor to Donald Trump. The book, discussed on NPR, details how Cohn instructed Trump in a set of aggressive legal and public relations strategies.
According to Bird's biography, Cohn taught Trump to deny accusations, delay proceedings, attack opponents, and engage in sue-and-counter-sue tactics. He also advised never to admit defeat, to side-step paying bills, and to avoid creating a paper trail. These methods, the book argues, became a playbook that Trump employed throughout his career in business and politics.
The biography traces Cohn's trajectory from his role as chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare of the 1950s to his later years as a powerful New York attorney. Bird's work sheds light on how Cohn's approach to law and publicity influenced a generation of political operatives.
The book, published in 2026, has drawn attention for its detailed account of the relationship between Cohn and Trump, and for its analysis of the tactics that have become familiar in contemporary political discourse. The biography is available now.
