Donald Trump’s New York story isn’t just about gold-plated towers — it’s about shady deals, mob ties, bankruptcies, and the grift that built his so-called empire. In this episode, host Rick Wilson sits down with Jonathan Mahler of The New York Times Magazine to dig into Trump’s corruption in New York real estate, his mob connections, and how those dirty deals shaped the man who would later seize the presidency.
Together, they expose the Trump Tower backstory, the bankruptcy bailouts, and the pattern of fraud and scandal that defined Trump long before MAGA. This deep-dive connects the dots between Trump’s shady New York origins and the current chaos of his political empire, revealing how the same real estate scams, mafia ties, and financial fraud that fueled his rise are still driving his downfall today.
Trump's the 'Greatest Con Artist in the History of the World' | The Strategy Session
David Cay Johnston didn’t mince words about Trump’s latest meeting with Putin, calling it “an embarrassment for the whole country.” Watching Trump clap “like a seal” while U.S. troops rolled out a red carpet for the Russian leader, Johnston says it showed just how easily Trump can be manipulated — proof, as Rick Wilson put it, that the player has been played.
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You can purchase Jonathan Mahler’s newest book, ‘THE GODS OF NEW YORK: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990’, wherever fine books are sold, and you can follow him on X @jonathanmahler.
Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and @therickwilson.bsky.social on Bluesky, and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.
Join the fight with the Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow LP on X at @ProjectLincoln.
