Trump Picks CNBC’s Larry Kudlow as Top Economic Adviser
The White House had not expected to announce his hiring until Thursday or Friday, Mr. Kudlow said,
but by Wednesday morning, news of his likely naming was widespread, and then “the deluge came.”
Mr. Kudlow, who has publicly criticized the president’s recently announced tariff plans,
said Mr. Trump had a more nuanced view on trade then many people understood.
“Trump should also examine the historical record on tariffs,” he
and his co-authors wrote, “because they have almost never worked as intended and almost always deliver an unhappy ending.”
Mr. Kudlow said Wednesday that although he had little stomach for blanket tariffs, he was “absolutely delighted”
that Mr. Trump had softened his stance since first announcing global tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said in a statement
that Mr. Kudlow had been offered the job and that the administration would “work to have an orderly transition.”
The decision to pick Mr. Kudlow, a longtime cheerleader of the president, is the latest
move by Mr. Trump to surround himself with loyalists in high administrative posts.