Douglas Cohn

McLean

Historian, columnist, speaker. Author, THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST YEAR and WORLD WAR 4. Longest-running syndicated column estab. 1932: WASHINGTON MERRY GO ROUND

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Articles

The arsonist as hero

1 month ago | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

WASHINGTON – After the most harrowing first 100 days of any modern president, what happens during the second 100 days? America loves a comeback story, and for Donald Trump, all the world is a stage. Like the arsonist who returns to the scene of the crime as the hero to put out the fire he started, Trump is poised for a recovery. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent went to Geneva, Switzerland, to begin trade talks with his Chinese counterpart.
The 100-day clown show is over

1 month ago | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

WASHINGTON – Based on actual accomplishments versus what he is railing about, Donald Trump has had the worst 100 days of any president. That omits Abraham Lincoln and the beginning of the Civil War 42 days after taking office, and William Henry Harrison who died on the 32nd day from a cold caught at his Inauguration that turned into pneumonia. By the measures of success he touted in the campaign, Trump has failed at everything except controlling the border.
Eleanor Clift

2 months ago | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

Today’s Events in Historical PerspectiveAmerica’s Longest-Running Column Founded 1932WASHINGTON – The truth is that no one knows what motivates President Trump and, as a result, what he could do, might do, or will do. So, here are some scenarios to ponder in the wake of his tariff-induced stock market fiasco:First, he is an idealogue tied to the ideas of Pres. William McKinley, the man known as Mr. Tariff.
The four faces of Trump

2 months ago | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

WASHINGTON – The truth is that no one knows what motivates President Trump and, as a result, what he could do, might do, or will do. So, here are some scenarios to ponder in the wake of his tariff-induced stock market fiasco:First, he is an idealogue tied to the ideas of Pres. William McKinley, the man known as Mr. Tariff. In 1890 while serving in Congress, McKinley shepherded through the infamous McKinley Tariff that led to the Panic of 1893.
It is going to be a revolting week

2 months ago | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

WASHINGTON – In the wake of ill-conceived, trade-imploding tariffs, a sea of revolts has emerged from the public, trading partners, investors, corporate leaders, administration insiders, and Congress. All the while, President Donald Trump is playing golf at Mar-a-Lago although he and his golf cart seem to be shrinking by the hour as this revolting week threatens to weaken his entire presidency.
He sent in the clowns

2 months ago | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

WASHINGTON – President Trump sent in the clowns, and the circus has begun with the most unqualified, incompetent, inexperienced, immature group of presidential toadies ever to populate the highest levels of the nation’s national security apparatus. As one comedic observer put it, “All Trump’s appointments are good except for most of them.” And now they have proved their unworth by casually discussing details of an impending military operation over Signal, an unclassified chat thread.
Doug Cohn

Mar 13, 2025 | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

Today’s Events in Historical PerspectiveAmerica’s Longest-Running Column Founded 1932WASHINGTON – A little history can be a bad thing, and Pres. Donald Trump’s little glimpse of history appears to be limited to the 1897-1901 administration of Pres. William McKinley, which may explain his apparently incomprehensible decisions on taxes, tariffs, and the economy. A founding Republican Party tenant up until Pres. Eisenhower ushered in a different direction in 1953 was an adherence to high tariffs.
Doug Cohn

Mar 5, 2025 | fbherald.com | Washington Merry-Go-Round |Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

Today’s Events in Historical PerspectiveAmerica’s Longest-Running Column Founded 1932By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor CliftWASHINGTON – The following analysis is ominous, far from a worst case, and hopefully wrong. For most of its history Europe has been a battleground, and it remained so until April 4, 1949, the date the NATO Treaty was signed by 30 European nations plus the United States and Canada.
The keystone and catastrophe

Mar 4, 2025 | fbherald.com | Washington Merry-Go-Round |Eleanor Clift |Douglas Cohn

WASHINGTON – The following analysis is ominous, far from a worst case, and hopefully wrong. For most of its history Europe has been a battleground, and it remained so until April 4, 1949, the date the NATO Treaty was signed by 30 European nations plus the United States and Canada. Seventy-six years of European peace followed, an arch of peace held together by its keystone, the United States (NATO and Russia jointly intervened to stop the fighting in Yugoslavia as it broke up).
Douglas Cohn

Jan 30, 2025 | fbherald.com | Douglas Cohn |Eleanor Clift

Today’s Events in Historical PerspectiveAmerica’s Longest-Running Column Founded 1932WASHINGTON –President Trump’s fondness for Russian President Vladimir Putin is well documented. He has called him a “genius,” and took the Russian leader’s word over U.S. intelligence agencies at a summit in Helsinki in 2018 when he denied Russian involvement in the U.S. election. But the friendship has taken a turn, and Ukraine is about to reap the consequences.