https://www.facebook.com/reel/1070238475093132
Cohn was a notorious attorney who gained prominence in the 1950s as the chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy during the anti-communist "Red Scare". He began mentoring Trump in 1973 after the U.S. Department of Justice sued Trump and his father for racial discrimination in their apartment rentals.
The Roy Cohn "Playbook"
According to various biographers and associates, Cohn taught Trump a specific strategy for handling legal and public battles:
Attack, Attack, Attack: Never play defense. When criticized, counter-attack with even greater force to make the accuser regret speaking out.
Admit Nothing, Deny Everything: Cohn viewed any apology or admission of wrongdoing as a sign of weakness.
Claim Victory, Never Admit Defeat: No matter the actual outcome (such as a legal settlement), always project the image of a winner to the public.
Weaponize the Legal System: Use lawsuits not for justice, but as tools of intimidation and harassment to exhaust opponents.
Manipulate the Media: Plant stories, cultivate relationships with journalists, and understand that all publicity—even negative—can be valuable if used correctly.
Cohn remained Trump's close advisor and "fixer" until he was disbarred for unethical conduct in 1986, just weeks before dying of complications from AIDS. Trump's continued reliance on these tactics is the subject of several documentaries, including Where's My Roy Cohn? and the 2024 film The Apprentice.