Larry David Calls Out Alan Dershowitz: 'He Made a Deal With the Devil'

Larry David has broken his silence on a friendship that collapsed over politics, telling The Atlantic that former friend Alan Dershowitz "made a deal with the devil" when he joined Donald Trump's impeachment defence team in 2020.

David's words appear in an Atlantic profile of Dershowitz, written by Mark Leibovich and published on 18 August 2026 in the magazine's Ideas section. The piece, titled "Alan Dershowitz Won't Forget What Larry David Did to Him," revisits a falling-out that has simmered for more than five years.

"He made a deal with the devil. Literally," David told The Atlantic. "And I'd bet the devil hasn't said a word to him since the impeachment." (Variety)

The rift was not quiet. In the summer of 2021, David confronted Dershowitz face-to-face at the Chilmark General Store on Martha's Vineyard. Dershowitz recounted the encounter in a 2022 interview with The New Yorker, recalling that David told him: "No. You're disgusting." David said he could never speak to Dershowitz again. (Page Six)

Before the break, the two were regular summer companions on the Vineyard. Dershowitz said David would come to his house to use the gym and stay for dinner two or three times each summer. (Variety)

In the Atlantic profile, Dershowitz described the aftermath plainly: "Larry David doesn't talk to me anymore. He screams and yells at me when he sees me." (The Atlantic)

Dershowitz's grievances extend beyond the store-front confrontation. His son Elon died from a stroke the year before the profile was published, at age 64. Dershowitz noted that David did not reach out after the death. (Variety)

David acknowledged the lapse. He admitted he should have contacted Dershowitz after Elon's death and said he was "starting to feel a little sorry" for the man he once called a friend. (Variety)

Dershowitz, a retired Harvard law professor, has built a career defending high-profile and deeply controversial clients. He served on the defence teams of Donald Trump during the first impeachment trial, Harvey Weinstein, and Jeffrey Epstein at various points. (Variety)

His connection to Martha's Vineyard predates all of that. Dershowitz first visited the island in 1969, when he was brought in to assist with the legal defence of Senator Ted Kennedy following Kennedy's late-night incident at Chappaquiddick. (The Atlantic)

What makes the story unusual is how openly both men are willing to talk. Neither has sued for peace or let the matter drop. Dershowitz gave his account to The New Yorker. David has now given his to The Atlantic. Each man has had his say, and neither seems finished.