Kiwi tipped for big move in Trump Administration
Expat Kiwi businessman Chris Liddell is expected to become the White House’s new economic adviser following the departure of Gary Cohn last week, according to US media reports.
The New York Times reported that US President Donald Trump was ‘‘strongly considering’’ Liddell to replace Cohn as the director of the National Economic Council.
Matamata-born Liddell, a former chief financial officer (CFO) of Microsoft and General Motors, joined the Trump Administration last year and serves as the White House’s director of strategic initiatives. He was also chairman at Xero, but resigned after his appointment at the White House.
Cohn announced his resignation last week after a dispute over trade, just hours after Trump denied there was chaos in the White House.
Cohn was the leading internal opponent to Trump’s planned tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium. He tried to orchestrate an eleventh-hour effort to push Trump to reverse course, but the president resisted and reiterated on Tuesday he would impose the tariffs in the coming days.
The New York Times reported that although the president had not made a decision yet, he was after a prominent business figure, according to those who have spoken with him.
Liddell has worked closely with Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior policy adviser.
The Kiwi has also served as CFO at talent agency WME-IMG, and at International Paper.
As General Motors vicechairman, he led the company’s multibillion-dollar recovery.
Liddell’s experience could fulfil the president’s demand for a business figure in the economic adviser role, the officials said.
In an interview on TVNZ’S Q+A after the election, Liddell said Trump’s position, once he became the president, would be more moderate than his campaign.
On Trump’s anti-trade position, Liddell said he personally supported free markets but not ‘‘unbridled free markets’’.
On Liddell’s appointment to the Administration, Trump said in a statement that Liddell’s skills were ‘‘exactly what is needed to effect substantial change, including system wide improvement to the performance of the government’’.