Insiders are whispering about conservative economist Larry Kudlow as a possible candidate to replace Gary Cohn as President Trump’s top economic adviser, but Kudlow himself warned that the departure of the former Goldman Sachs executive could mark a “turn for the worse” in trade.
Cohn announced Tuesday that he will be departing the administration in the coming weeks. While a reason for the departure was not given, the move comes after Trump announced steep new tariffs on steel and aluminum last week. Cohn, a free-trade advocate, opposed the tariffs.
Kudlow’s name has appeared in a number of follow-up reports, including from Politico and the Washington Post, as a possible successor to Cohn with a similar negative outlook on Trump’s tariffs.
He served in the Reagan administration and now is a host on CNBC. He said on the channel’s “Fast Money” program Tuesday that he “wouldn’t necessarily say the cause for freer trade is over” now that Cohn is leaving. He added, “But we’ll see who is appointed. I personally regret this [resignation] very much.”
Earlier in the day, Kudlow revealed that he “personally” urged Cohn to stay in the administration as it was widely reported that Cohn was upset by Trump’s turn on tariffs.
“Personally, I have urged Gary Cohn to stay. I spoke to him this week and I said, ‘please stay,'” Kudlow said.
So far Kudlow has been mum on talk about him possibly taking over for Cohn. He declined to comment when asked about it by the Post.
But in tweeting out the very same story which floats him as a contender, Kudlow did say he was “sorry” to see Cohn leaving, adding that he did a “great service” for Trump and the nation.
