Trump economic chief: WH 'must do better' condemning hate groups

Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser, told the Financial Times that "this administration can and must do better in consistently and unequivocally condemning these groups and do everything we can to heal the deep divisions that exist in our communities".

Trump received heavy criticism for what was seen as his reluctance to assign blame for the incidents in Charlottesville - especially for his assertion that "both sides" bore responsibility. "Gary has not held back how he feels about the situation, he's been very open and honest". But a handful of GOP lawmakers and now Trump's own economic adviser are directly criticizing him. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his.

Gary Cohn, second from right, sits with President Trump, General Motors chief executive Mary Barra, and Doug McMillon, Walmart chief executive.

Cohn, a Jewish American, reportedly considered quitting his job over Trump's remarks, and went as far to draft a letter of resignation, but he chose to stay on after discussions with the president. Bannon resigned last week and returned to Breitbart News, a far-right online publication.

In an interview with the Financial Times published Friday, Cohn acknowledged the pressure.

The sources said that Cohn's circle of friends and family "told him he needed to think seriously about departing" from the White House in the immediate days following Trump's comments on Charlottesville.

Breitbart splashed the Cohn controversy on its homepage Friday: "Gary Feeds False Establishment Narrative, Mnuchin Fights It", one headline blared.

Cohn's comments, according to The Washington Post, made Trump "furious" privately, but in public White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said no one "was surprised" by Cohn's reaction. It was also reported that Cohn had his resignation letter drafted.

Cohn said he faced "tremendous pressure" to quit the administration after the president appeared to draw a moral equivalency between white nationalist demonstrators and anti- racism counter-protesters. And Mr. Trump uncharacteristically may accept this small bit of apostasy to keep Cohn, his key link to Wall Street and the markets.

"As a Jewish American, I will not allow neo-Nazis ranting "Jews will not replace us" to cause this Jew to leave his job", he says.

His comments contrast sharply with those of the secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin, also jewish and also present at the now famous press conference improvised in the Trump Tower, who had defended the real estate magnate, ensuring that his remarks had been distorted.

At Friday's White House news briefing, Mnuchin told reporters, "Under no circumstances was I going to resign".

He added that he has known Cohn for 20 years and speaks to him "every day" as they work on an overhaul of the tax code.

He said Cohn is "committed to be here" and said he is working closely with the national economic adviser on tax reform.

Trump has said he is considering reappointing Yellen, a Democrat, as well as nominating Cohn. The Fed chair is the world's most powerful bank regulator and plays a lead role in shaping the direction of the economy. "I don't think so anymore". He had been described last week by confidants as deeply anguished and angry over Trump's equivocal responses to the Charlottesville violence. The rest of the FT interview is devoted to that issue, and Cohn makes it clear that he's eager to get the corporate rate "as low as possible so that businesses want to create jobs here".