National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn considered resigning after President Donald Trump’s comments on the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, but decided to stay out of duty.
“As a Jewish American, I will not allow neo-Nazis ranting ‘Jews will not replace us’ to cause this Jew to leave his job,” Cohn told the Financial Times in an interview published Friday. “I feel deep empathy for all who have been targeted by these hate groups. We must all unite together against them.”
Cohn was critical of Trump’s response to the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally that turned deadly when a car allegedly driven by a white nationalist protester careened through a crowd, killing one woman and injuring dozens of others.
“As a patriotic American, I am reluctant to leave my post as director of the National Economic Council because I feel a duty to fulfill my commitment to work on behalf of the American people,” Cohn said. “But I also feel compelled to voice my distress over the events of the last two weeks.”
Cohn said he has “had numerous private conversations with the president on this topic” and that he has “not been bashful saying what I think.”
“Citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK. I believe 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,” Cohn said.
Trump’s response to Charlottesville, particularly blaming “both sides” for the violence, led to an exodus of centrist advisers and councils.
Numerous Republicans have condemned the president for not strongly and consistently condemning neo-Nazi and white nationalist groups who associate themselves with the alt-right.
A source close to the White House told Axios Friday that Trump will “explode” when he reads Cohn’s comments.
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