Larry Kudlow’s Redemption: A Story of Addiction, Forgiveness, and Faith

Larry Kudlow, the 78-year-old Fox Business host and former Trump adviser, has lived a life marked by highs and lows, from the dizzying heights of Wall Street to the depths of addiction. In a recent interview on Miranda Devine’s Pod Force One podcast, Kudlow opened up about his battle with cocaine and alcohol, crediting his wife, Judith “Judy” Pond Kudlow, for giving him a second chance at life. Their story, while one of redemption, is also a testament to the pain, resilience, and forgiveness that held their marriage together through unimaginable trials.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Kudlow was a titan of Wall Street, serving as chief economist at Bear Stearns. The fast-paced, high-stakes environment of finance came with a culture of excess, and Kudlow found himself ensnared. “Some people got hooked on alcohol or cocaine… others didn’t,” he reflected, acknowledging that while many colleagues thrived under the same pressures, he succumbed. Taking personal responsibility for his addiction, Kudlow doesn’t shy away from the reality of his “crash and burn.” His addiction spiraled, costing him his job at Bear Stearns in 1994 and nearly destroying his marriage.

At the heart of Kudlow’s redemption is Judy, whom he met in the early 1980s while working in the Reagan administration. As his addiction worsened, Judy faced the unbearable. Court documents from 1995 reveal her anguish, describing Kudlow’s “steady cocaine binge” and financial desperation. She filed for divorce and sought to protect their assets, a move born out of necessity rather than malice. Yet, Judy’s love endured. Instead of walking away, she intervened, ensuring Kudlow entered a five-month residential treatment program in 1995. That decision became the turning point in his life.

The road to recovery was grueling, but it led Kudlow to sobriety and, ultimately, faith. Raised in a Jewish family, he converted to Catholicism in 1997, finding spiritual grounding that continues to guide him. He remains active in Twelve-step programs, attending “four or five” meetings weekly, a commitment that underscores his ongoing dedication to sobriety. Judy, who never followed through with the divorce, stood by him, embodying their marriage vows: “in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.” Their reconciliation, however, was not without cost. Kudlow’s addiction brought Judy immense pain, with tears shed in private that contrasted with the public image of their enduring partnership.

Kudlow’s gratitude for Judy’s forgiveness is palpable. “I’m so blessed because I got a second chance,” he said, reflecting on the wreckage of his past. Their story resonates deeply with former President Donald Trump, with whom Kudlow served as director of the National Economic Council. Trump, whose brother Fred Jr. died of alcoholism in 1981, shares a personal connection to the devastation of addiction. Kudlow believes Trump’s leadership has restored a sense of faith and responsibility in America, values that mirror his own journey.

Today, Kudlow remains a fixture at Fox Business, declining a return to the White House but staying in touch with Trump. His story is not just one of personal triumph but a reminder of the power of love, faith, and second chances—qualities that Judy exemplified, even at great personal cost.