Book SummaryDisloyal, by Michael Cohen

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Disloyal

Trump, who is devoid of ethical principles, has a propensity for deceitfulness.

Trump frequently engages in behavior that is not only against the law but also morally questionable, consistently warping the truth, ignoring established facts, and demonstrating a lack of ethical values.

Trump often manipulates facts and spreads misinformation to shape a more advantageous perception of his persona.

Cohen depicts Trump as someone skilled in altering perceptions and swaying public sentiment to maintain his positive image and fulfill his ambitions. He provides several examples, showcasing Trump's tendency to exaggerate his wealth by inflating the value of his assets when dealing with publications like Forbes and minimizing them for tax purposes. A notable instance involves assessing the worth of the commercial premises within the edifice that is famed for accommodating Gucci. Following Trump's instructions, Cohen employed a property with deceptive similarities to inflate its worth to $1 billion, despite its actual value being close to $300 million, solely to bolster the perception of Trump's financial stature.

Cohen reveals his role in fabricating information about Trump's academic achievements and history, highlighting the deception that typifies Trump's persona. Cohen was tasked with ensuring the secrecy of Trump's academic records from his time at the New York Military Academy, Fordham University, and the Wharton School, especially during the periods when Trump's own claims about Obama's educational accomplishments were under examination. Concerns about the potential public revelation of his subpar academic achievements prompted him to take measures that highlight his inclination towards deceit and his willingness to fabricate narratives to maintain a favorable public image. This tendency for dishonesty also encompasses minor issues, such as tampering with internet surveys. Cohen narrates how, following Trump's instructions, he hired John Gauger, a tech expert, to manipulate an online poll to ensure Trump was favored in a CNBC ranking of influential business leaders, successfully placing Trump among the top ten, a fact Trump openly recognized despite knowing the results were tampered with.

Context

• The New York Military Academy, Fordham University, and the Wharton School are educational institutions where Trump studied, and maintaining the secrecy of his records was likely intended to prevent scrutiny of his academic performance.
• John Gauger is known for his work in technology and data management. His involvement in manipulating polls highlights the use of technical expertise to alter digital outcomes, which can be a common practice in digital marketing and political campaigns.

Other Perspectives

• Public figures, including politicians, frequently engage in rhetoric that emphasizes their strengths and accomplishments while downplaying their weaknesses, which is a standard practice in politics, not unique to Trump.
• It is a common practice in real estate for asset values to be subject to interpretation and negotiation, and different valuations may be used for different purposes, such as obtaining loans or reducing tax liabilities.
• The discrepancy between the $300 million and $1 billion figures could be attributed to different valuation methods, such as income approach versus replacement cost, which can yield vastly different results.
• Efforts to maintain privacy regarding academic records are not uncommon and do not inherently indicate fabrication of information; they could be motivated by a desire for privacy.
• The term "subpar" is subjective and relative; without clear benchmarks or comparative standards, what is considered subpar for one may be deemed adequate or even exceptional for another, depending on the context.
• The act of recognizing results, tampered or not, does not provide information on whether Trump was aware of the tampering at the time the poll was conducted or if he learned about it post hoc.

Trump consistently prioritizes his personal ambitions for authority and monetary advantage over the well-being of others, demonstrating an indifference to principles of legality, ethical standards, and empathy.

Cohen highlights the deep-seated absence of compassion and a blatant disrespect for legal boundaries in his character, exposing a consistent pattern of actions motivated purely by personal gain and an insatiable quest for authority and riches. The author illustrates numerous instances where Trump exploited his power to swindle contractors and suppliers, including the [restricted term] renovation episode where he intentionally selected inferior paint that required costly reapplication, but refused to pay for the additional expenses, thereby withholding payment from the contractors who followed his directives. This behavior, aimed at boosting his own profits at the expense of small enterprises, reveals his ruthless and unethical approach in commercial dealings.

Cohen discloses the deep-seated racial prejudices of Trump, recounting various instances in which Trump uttered derogatory comments about African Americans and other minority groups in private discussions. He underscores the obsession with the baseless assertion about the birthplace of Obama, a conjecture steeped in racial prejudice designed to delegitimize Obama's presidency. Cohen admits to his role in spreading the Birther conspiracy, distributing deceptive information to the media despite knowing its untruthfulness, demonstrating complete disregard for honesty and a willingness to exploit racial prejudices for political gain, all while following Trump's guidance. This lack of moral compass, Cohen argues, extends to personal relationships, exposing Trump's callous treatment of his own children, especially Tiffany, whom he belittled for her appearance and actively undermined her career aspirations. Cohen also recounts the inappropriate comments Trump...

Disloyal Summary Michael Cohen was employed in the capacity of personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump.

Michael Cohen steadfastly supported and acted on behalf of Trump, engaging in actions that often strayed beyond the boundaries of ethics and legality.

Cohen employed tactics of intimidation, monetary enticements, and confidentiality to prevent the disclosure of Trump's affairs outside of marriage.

Michael Cohen's autobiographical work reveals his crucial role in hiding Trump's immoral and illegal activities, particularly those related to extramarital relationships. He recounts various occasions where he intervened to prevent women from revealing information about Trump, using methods that varied from intimidation and monetary agreements to secure their silence to more forceful strategies. Allegations of sexual misconduct made by Jill Harth against Trump stem from the 1990s. Cohen describes how he discredited Harth's allegations by compelling her to issue a statement, which she provided due to her professional ambitions. Cohen characterizes the strategy as devising a narrative that would invalidate the allegations, thus reducing their impact upon being circulated through news outlets.

Cohen also recounts his involvement in silencing claims from an adult film actress...

Disloyal Summary Michael Cohen's association with Trump led to a series of events that resulted in both personal and professional deterioration, ultimately leading to legal consequences and a period of incarceration.

Michael Cohen's association with Donald Trump had profound consequences that impacted his personal life, career, and legal matters.

Michael Cohen's license to practice law was revoked, his business endeavors failed, his reputation was damaged, and he was sentenced to prison for crimes committed for Donald Trump's advantage.

Michael Cohen's association with Trump had profound impacts on both his personal and professional spheres. As investigations by authorities at the federal level intensified regarding transactions associated with Trump, Cohen became entangled in legal troubles, exposing his illegal deeds committed for Trump's advantage. A pivotal event occurred when federal agents executed searches at his residence and workplace. Cohen began to grapple with the harmful elements of his relationship with the President, recognizing the significant dangers he was exposed to and the likelihood that he might be sacrificed to protect Trump's interests.

As the court actions progressed, Cohen felt an increasing urgency to agree to a deal that involved cooperating with the investigation. Faced with the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence and the threat of legal action...

Disloyal Summary Michael Cohen's involvement in the interference from Moscow during the 2016 U.S. election.

In 2016, Russia initiated a tactical operation to interfere with the U.S. presidential election, with the objective of supporting the presidential ambitions of Donald Trump.

The campaign of Trump received damaging information about Hillary Clinton from the Russian government, which simultaneously aimed to undermine her through digital intrusions and disseminating misinformation.

Cohen acknowledges that Russia's interference in the 2016 US election was designed to bolster the chances of one candidate while concurrently undermining the efforts of Hillary Clinton. He underscores the variety of tactics used by Russian operatives, which included infiltrating the digital systems of the central committee of the Democratic Party, disseminating damaging information through WikiLeaks, and distributing misleading stories across various internet platforms. Cohen emphasizes that while definitive evidence of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia is not presented, he highlights their shared interest in defeating Clinton and Trump's willingness to accept help from abroad.

Cohen outlines his involvement in promoting the Trump Tower Moscow project during the campaign,...