In February 1950, Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy began a four-year crusade of baseless accusations against alleged communists in government, academia and the entertainment industry. It was an era marked by fear, suppression of dissent and ruined careers.

Roy Cohn, a New York lawyer, served as chief counsel to McCarthy’s Senate subcommittee. Cohn played a central role in directing its investigations, many of which relied on unsubstantiated or misleading claims.

If this seems familiar today, it may be because Cohn was one of President Donald Trump’s early and most influential mentors. As portrayed in the movie “The Apprentice,” Trump absorbed many lessons from Cohn: Attack relentlessly, never admit error and always claim victory.

As promised during his campaign, Trump has launched a McCarthy-esque effort to retaliate against the private law firms he blames for investigations of his personal misconduct. This is just one of many attacks: against the federal workforce, immigrants, the courts, Democratic-led cities, major universities, transgender Americans and student protesters. These attacks aim to punish dissent and consolidate power by forcing institutions that could challenge his authority into submission.

In the popular imagination, McCarthy’s crusade was halted at a particular moment in 1954, on live television, during the Army-McCarthy hearings. Army counsel Joseph Welch famously rebuked McCarthy, “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?” — puncturing his aura of invincibility.

But other institutions also stepped up to oppose McCarthy. Courageous journalists exposed McCarthy’s tactics, most notably Edward R. Murrow in his "See It Now" broadcast. Federal court decisions affirmed constitutional protections. Even the U.S. Senate — which, then as now,........

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