Gary Cohn Carves Out Center Of Power In Trump White House

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By Daniel J. Solomon July 5, 2017

Gary Cohn, the former Goldman Sachs exec and Trump economic adviser, has apparently become one of the biggest power brokers within the White House.

Cohn was critical to preventing the United States from withdrawing from the Nafta trade agreement with Canada and Mexico and has been a chief architect of administration proposals on infrastructure and taxes, Politico reported.

Cohn’s emphasis on global cooperation and pro-trade stance has put him at odds with the White House’s nationalist-populist wing, including strategist Steve Bannon and trade adviser Peter Navarro, who wanted a full withdrawal from Nafta.

“Gary doesn’t shy away from a debate. He likes debating people. He’s a New Yorker. He likes telling his viewpoint right to people’s face,” said an unidentified source close to the administration.

Cohn was also vocal about the Paris climate change agreement, which Trump decided to cancel American participation in during June. Cohn spent months building support within the White House and among energy companies for the United States to remain within the pact. Ultimately, he lost out, but clearly he’s retaining his influence in some critical ways.

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at solomon@forward.com or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

Daniel J. Solomon is the former Assistant to the Editor/News Writer at the Forward. Originally from Queens, he attended Harvard as an undergraduate, where he wrote his senior thesis on French-Jewish intellectual history. He is excited to have returned to New York after his time in Massachusetts. Daniel’s passions include folk music, cycling, and pointed argument.

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