"POWER WITHOUT REMORSE": THE ROY COHN TEACHINGS

Trump, eager to succeed and rise above his competitors, absorbed this philosophy, making it the core of his approach to business and politics.

To understand Donald Trump’s rise and political behavior, one must look back to the man who helped shape his early years; Roy Cohn. Cohn, the infamous lawyer who mentored Trump in the late 1970s and 1980s, wasn’t just a legal figure; he was a teacher in the art of manipulation, power, and loyalty. Understanding Cohn’s influence is key to understanding Trump; his strategies, worldview, and the ruthlessness with which he navigated both his business career and presidency. Trump didn’t just learn from Cohn; he embraced a dangerous philosophy that guided his decisions, both in real estate and in politics.

When Trump first encountered Cohn, he was an ambitious young real estate developer trying to make his name in New York City. Cohn, a lawyer known for his brutal tactics and his role in the McCarthy-era witch hunts, became Trump’s mentor. Cohn's approach to the law was simple: manipulate it to your advantage, crush your opponents, and use the media to control the narrative. Cohn didn’t believe in the conventional rules of legal or ethical behavior; his mantra was about winning at all costs. Trump, eager to succeed and rise above his competitors, absorbed this philosophy, making it the core of his approach to business and politics.

In Cohn, Trump found a man who was willing to fight dirty, and in turn, he learned how to manipulate situations, spin stories, and use people as pawns. Cohn’s belief that "loyalty is transactional" became central to Trump’s worldview. The relationship was not one based on respect or mutual trust but on what each man could gain from the other. Loyalty, for both, was something to be demanded and used as leverage, not something earned or freely given.

Trump’s relationship with loyalty is one of profound contradiction; a paradox that traces directly back to Cohn’s teachings. To both men, loyalty wasn’t about mutual respect or honor; it was a tool. Loyalty was something to be extracted from others, but never given in return unless it served their interests. This is most evident in Trump’s political career, particularly in his treatment of our allies, government agencies, civil servants, and his own staff.

Trump’s immigration policy, for example, serves as a perfect illustration of this paradox. His administration separated families at the U.S.-Mexico border, placing children in cages and subjecting asylum seekers to inhumane conditions. This time around, it’s GITMO and internment camps in the Panamanian jungle. The cruelty is calculated. For Trump, the policy is less about moral considerations or the welfare of the country and more about maintaining power through division. The cruelty is a signal to his supporters that he is tough, willing to do whatever it takes to protect “American” interests, even if it means ignoring basic human rights. America First!

Trump’s handling of government agencies and civil servants follows a similar pattern. His administration’s purging of long-standing government workers, many of whom are Republican, career civil servants with expertise in their respective fields. Trump's lack of remorse in firing individuals at will, often without cause or warning, is another stark example of how loyalty, in Trump’s view, is transactional. He sees the purging of these individuals not as a loss but as a way to consolidate power, ensure loyalty, and clear out those who might challenge his authority.

Now don’t you dare act surprised…we knew he would do this; he said so dozens of times during the campaign. Additionally, remember during his first administration with the firing of FBI Director James Comey, which sent shockwaves through Washington. Trump’s decision wasn’t based on any specific legal or policy reason but rather on his personal grievances and desire for control. Comey’s refusal to pledge loyalty to Trump became his downfall, just as Cohn had always taught. If you don’t show loyalty to the powerful, you become expendable. It was designed as a precursor warning to all. Similarly, Trump’s repeated attacks on the Justice Department and the firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions demonstrated how he viewed loyalty as the ultimate test of one’s usefulness. In these situations, the personal and political was always intertwined, with loyalty to Trump taking precedence over ethical considerations or professional competence. Something I know firsthand.

What truly set Roy Cohn apart was his ability to wield power without remorse, a quality that Trump absorbed and embodied during his time under Cohn’s tutelage. Cohn believed that the ends always justified the means. As a lawyer, he used his influence to manipulate the legal system for his own gain, to crush enemies, and to maintain control of his narrative. In this sense, Trump’s political style is simply a modern continuation of Cohn’s philosophy. The Trump presidency, from its inception to date is marked by a total disregard for the rule of law, ethical standards, and the very institutions that are meant to keep power in check. And this new administration will be similar to the previous except on steroids.

Trump’s approach to governance is transactional. There, I said it. His view of the presidency is not as a role of public service but as an opportunity to consolidate personal power and amass great wealth. This is evidenced by his repeated attacks on the media, the judiciary, and any institution or individual that challenges his authority. Trump’s method of governing isn’t to build consensus or seek cooperation; no, it is to dominate, to discredit, and to destroy. Much like Cohn, Trump uses misinformation and disinformation, scandal and controversy as a tool for survival; relying on chaos to keep his enemies off-balance and maintain his iron-grip hold on power. The press, for example, is constantly labeled as "fake news," and anyone who dares oppose him is attacked as part of a vast "deep state" conspiracy. Just as The Associated Press,

Trump’s refusal to show any remorse for his actions is another direct legacy of Cohn. Whether it is his controversial policies, his impeachments, or his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump’s responses are always defiant. He never expresses regret for actions that are widely seen as unethical or damaging. Instead, he doubles down, triples down, using his position to continue pushing forward with his agenda. This refusal to acknowledge wrongdoing, this sheer audacity to act without accountability, is the defining trait of both Cohn’s and Trump’s public personas. In this, Trump graduates as veledictorian.

If you want to understand Donald Trump’s approach to politics, one must first understand the man who shaped him. Roy Cohn’s influence on Trump was profound; teaching Trump that power is meant to be seized, loyalty is a weapon, and the rules of law and ethics are optional for those at the top. The lessons Trump learned from Cohn became the foundation for his rise to power, his approach to governance, and his ability to manipulate the system for personal gain.

Cohn’s lasting impact is evident in Trump’s presidency, where loyalty, power, and manipulation are the primary tools of governance. Trump’s repeated purges, his immigration policies, and his disregard for norms and institutions are all an inflated continuation of the philosophy Cohn instilled in him. For Trump, loyalty is not a virtue but an axe to be wielded for survival, with money and power as the ultimate prize. The more money and power, the greater the prize. Unfortunately for our Democratic Republic, this legacy, shaped by Cohn’s teachings, will continue to define Trump’s political identity for generations to come; and The United States of America as well.

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