Mar 10, 2018

Trump considering Chris Liddell to replace Gary Cohn

Jonathan Swan

President Trump and Chris Liddell hold up a chart. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg boa Getty Images

Two sources with direct knowledge have confirmed to me the New York Times report that President Trump is strongly considering Chris Liddell to replace Gary Cohn as Trump’s chief economic adviser.

It’s not a done deal — and Trump has spitballed up to a dozen names throughout the week including Fed Chair contender Kevin Warsh — but absent another strong contender Liddell looks ever-more likely to get the nod, a senior official told me.

Be smart: As with all Trump decisions, nothing is certain until he announces it.

Liddell is viewed internally as a Jared and Ivanka favorite, but he’s well-regarded internally, though some staff worry he won’t be the force Cohn was as head of the National Economic Council.

An administration official added that Liddell is "self-aware" that he's been under-the-radar and how different a personality he is from Cohn. "Chris has always tried to be an under-the-radar player who coordinates policy as an honest broker instead of setting policy," the official said.

How we got here: Midway through last week, senior NEC official Shahira Knight emerged as a serious contender. In one meeting, Trump asked her if she’d be interested in the job, according to three sources familiar with the exchange. Cohn advocated for her and so did Kevin Hassett, the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. But Knight demurred, which left an opening for Liddell.

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Trump considering Chris Liddell to replace Gary Cohn

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