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Who is Gary Cohn?

Gary Cohn.
Gary Cohn. Photo: Alex Wong / Getty Images

President Trump's top economic advisor, Gary Cohn, is reportedly leaving the White House, the latest in a string of high-profile departures.

Why it matters: Per the NY Times, there isn't any "single reason" for his departure, but the announcement comes after Trump's tariffs decision, which Cohn had strongly argued against. He told Axios' Mike Allen in December that he wouldn't be resigning any time soon, but that was before a bitter Oval Office tariff fight last week.

  • Cohn is former president and COO of Goldman Sachs. He was friendly with Jared Kushner before Trump took office.
  • He was been a candidate to move to other roles over the past year, making Trump's short list for Fed chair and being floated as a possible chief of staff.
  • He is a Democrat, though Vanity Fair reports he was never "particularly enamored" by President Barack Obama.
  • He was the Trump administration's point man on tax reform, along with Steve Mnuchin.
  • He almost resigned after Trump's response to Charlottesville, saying: "As a patriotic American, I am reluctant to leave my post...But I also feel compelled to voice my distress over the events of the last two weeks."
Gary Cohn (investment banker)