The New Yorker Radio Hour

Kai Bird on Roy Cohn, a Founding Father of Donald Trump’s America

August 28, 2026·34 min·6-min readnarrativehistory
Podzilla Summary (6 min)
TLDR
Roy Cohn, a ruthless and morally unmoored figure from mid-20th century American politics, casts a long shadow over today’s political landscape through his profound influence on Donald Trump. This episode explores how Cohn’s toxic blend of ambition, deception, and defiance shaped Trump’s w

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Guest

K

Kai Bird

narrative on The New Yorker Radio Hour

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Roy CohnDonald TrumpKai BirdDavid RemnickSusan GoldmarkJoseph McCarthyRobert F. KennedyRichard Kerr

Books

American Scoundrelby Kai Bird

Topics

Civil Rights HistoryCriminal JusticeHistorical FiguresInequalityLong Form JournalismUs Politics

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