Gary Cohn Says President Trump Is 'Desperate' For Securing A Trade Agreement With China
  • 5 years ago
Gary Cohn criticized the Trump administration in a recent interview.

Former White House economic adviser Gary Cohn recently said that President Trump is "desperate right now" to secure a trade agreement with China.  He made the comment during an interview with Freakonomics Radio that was broadcast on Wednesday.  Cohn further noted: "The president needs a win. The only big open issue right now that he could claim as a big win that he'd hope would have a big impact on the stock market would be a Chinese resolution. Getting the trade deficit down I will never say is easy, but of the issues on the table, that's relatively easier."  Among the tougher issues, he said, is stopping "the Chinese from stealing intellectual property or not paying for it."  "What is the enforcement mechanism, and what are the punitive damages if they don't stop?" he further remarked.
Cohn served in the Trump administration for roughly 14 months and, as the Wall Street Journal reports, resigned in March 2018, shortly after the president announced his plan to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.