Opinion Today: Grasping the truth of Trump

His former ghostwriter weighs in on "The Apprentice."

View in browser|nytimes.com October 14, 2024 By Adam Sternbergh Culture Editor, Opinion Biopics are notoriously tricky: How do you successfully condense a person's life into a few salient scenes and two hours of screen time? Yet it's fair to say that no biopic has ever arrived quite as fraught as "The Apprentice," which opened on Friday. The film depicts the early career of a figure who's not only one of the most polarizing people in America but is also currently running for president: Donald Trump, no stranger to screen time or scrutiny. "The Apprentice" dramatizes Trump's consequential relationship in the 1970s with the notorious (and notoriously ruthless) lawyer Roy Cohn. Any viewer might reasonably wonder of the film (which, for the record, The Times's chief film critic praised) which scenes are historically accurate and which ones reflect artistic license. But the primary question you're likely to ask is: Is the film, in some sense, true? No one can definitively answer that question, save for the film's subject. But Tony Schwartz, who worked closely with Trump while ghostwriting "The Art of the Deal," a best-selling business memoir that was foundational to the Trumpian myth, is better positioned than most. (An actor portrays the character of Tony Schwartz late in the film, when he first met Trump.) In Schwartz's estimation, as detailed in a guest essay published last weekend, the film felt "emotionally true — and consistent with the Donald Trump I came to know three decades ago." He explains exactly why. Trump will long be among the most scrutinized, yet inscrutable, figures of our era. "The Apprentice" is just one artful attempt to unravel that mystery. But it's an effort that, according to one expert witness, successfully grapples with essential truths. Read the guest essay: Sam Whitney/The New York Times Guest Essay I Was Trump's Ghostwriter. A New Biopic Gets the Most Important Thing Right. Critics may argue about specific factual details, but a new account of Trump's ascent jibes with everything I saw with my own eyes. By Tony Schwartz Here's more from Opinion, curated by Times editors and personalized for you Illustration by Rebecca Chew/The New York Times A Reporter's Shield Law Is Vital to Prevent Abuses of Power The PRESS Act has unanimous support in the House, but a few senators are blocking it. By The Editorial Board Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press Three Weeks to Go, and That's All Anyone Is Sure Of It's been a long year, but that won't stop it from being a very long 22 days. By Gail Collins and Bret Stephens Abdel Kareem Hana/Associated Press Polio Threatens Gaza Today. Tomorrow, It Could Be Cholera. The success of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza shouldn't obfuscate the threat of other diseases. By Mohammed Aghaalkurdi Rob en Robin Food Is What We Have In Common. Why Don't We Hear More From the Candidates About It? Food is the springboard to talk about a host of issues, including climate, economic justice, public health and labor. By Mark Bittman Isabella Bersellini I Froze My Eggs to Reclaim My Right to Rest As a Latina, I was taught that my purpose was to produce. But I needed a break. By Jean Guerrero We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Games Here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle and Spelling Bee. If you're in the mood to play more, find all our games here. Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. If you have questions about your Times account, delivery problems or other issues, visit our Help Page or contact The Times. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Opinion Today newsletter from The New York Times. To stop receiving Opinion Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018