Report: Trump eyeing Chris Liddell for Gary Cohn’s replacement

A leading candidate to replace outgoing White House economic adviser Gary Cohn appears to have emerged.

The New York Times is reporting, based on inside sources, that a top contender for the post is Chris Liddell, a former business executive with previous experience at Microsoft and General Motors.

Liddell, the White House’s director of strategic initiatives, has been involved in the activities of the Office of American Innovation, a project headed by the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

The search for a new economic adviser began after Cohn announced his resignation in the wake of President Trump’s decision to levy tariffs on aluminum and steel imports—a move Cohn reportedly opposed.

Despite their differences, Trump expressed a positive view of Cohn at a recent Cabinet meeting, noting, “He may be a globalist, but I still like him. He is seriously a globalist, there is no question. But in his own way he’s a nationalist because he loves our country.”

The president then addressed him directly, saying, “I have a feeling you’ll be back.”A leading candidate to replace outgoing White House economic adviser Gary Cohn appears to have emerged.