The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Economic chief’s rebuke of Trump shakes up D.C.
WASHINGTON— An unprecedented rebuke of President Donald Trump by National Economic Council director Gary Cohn reverberated through Washington on Friday, forcing the White House to respond to harsh, public criticism from one of the president’s top advisers.
Cohn denounced Trump’ s comments earlier this month blaming the violence in Charlottesville, Va., on “both sides,” saying in an interview with the Financial Times that “citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK.” Cohn, who is Jewish and has long given to Jewish causes, said the administration “must do better in consistently and unequivocally condemning these groups.”
The criticism was the first and most serious public condemnation of Trump’ s behavior by a member of his inner circle since the beginning of his presidency and raised the question of howa president who puts a heavy premium on loyalty would react.
Privately, a White House official said, Trump was furious about Cohn’s public statements, though publicly White House officials, while defending Trump’s response to the events in Charlottesville, acknowledged the White House can always do more.
“Gary has not held back how he feels about the situation. He’s been very open and honest, so I don’t think anyone was surprised by the comments,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.
At the same time, it was clear therewas the potential
for a deterioration in the relationship between Trump and his chief economic adviser, whomhe has been considering naming as his next Federal Reserve chair.
Cohn, a former top banker at Gold man Sachs, had been part of an internal battle in the White House over the direction of policy, often allying with the president’s daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Cohn’s critics celebrated the Financial Times interview Friday, hoping that it would undermine his stature with the White House. One Trump ally who has been strategizing to undermine Cohn said ,“Cohn looks like he blew himself up, so we’re not going to have to blow him up.”
The new dramas could yet against distract from the White House’s plans to advance top policy priorities. Trump hopes to begin a pub---
lic push to overhaul the tax code next week. Cohn and his team are playing a central role in trying to develop the administration’s strategy — as well as design a $1 trillion infrastructure plan.
Cohn drafted a resignation letter after Trump’s Charlottesville remarks, but never signed it or discussed resigning with the president, according to a person familiar with the process.
Cohn and Trump met at Bedminster, N.J., on Aug. 18, the person said, and Cohn was frank with Trump about howhe felt. But Cohn made clear in the Financial Times interview that despite his misgivings about the White House’s response, he does not plan to resign.
“As a patriotic American, I am reluctant to leave my post ... because I feel a duty to fulfill my commitment towork on behalf of the American people,” Cohn was quoted as saying.