Trump’s top economic adviser quits White House
Gary Cohn was vehemently against US Prez’s protectionist trade policies, planned tariff on steel, aluminium
WASHINGTON:US President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser Gary Cohn announced his resignation on Tuesday amid reports of differences over stiff tariffs on steel and aluminium imports that have divided the White House and the Republican Party.
“Gary…did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again,” Trump said in a statement. In the same statement, Cohn said it was an honour to serve the country and enact pro-growth economic policies.
Cohn, the director of the national economic council, was vehemently opposed to Trump’s protectionist trade policies, and speculation about the 57-yearold’s departure had been around for months, going back to the Charlottesville race riots.
Things came to a head last week, with Trump announcing that he planned a 25% tariff on steel and 10% on aluminium imports to protect American manufacturers.
The move ran into opposition within the administration, with free traders such as Cohn, and Republican leaders such as House speaker Paul Ryan against the move.
Cohn tried to stop Trump from going through with the tariffs but is understood to have lost out to commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, trade adviser Peter Navarro and others.
Bloomberg, citing sources, said Trump sought Cohn’s cooperation at a meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday but it didn’t work and hours later, the White House announced his departure.
Cohn’s resignation comes within days of Hope Hicks quitting as communications director. Others who left include chief of staff Reince Priebus, press secretary and communications director Sean Spicer and national security adviser Michael Flynn.
There is speculation that current national security adviser HR McMaster, attorney general Jeff Sessions and secretary of state Rex Tillerson could join the long list of high-profile aides and officials leaving the White House.
Hours before Cohn quit, Trump sought to counter the perception of chaos in his White House. He said people were always leaving and joining, tweeting: “I still have some people that I want to change.”