Trump taps TV pundit Larry Kudlow for top economic post

President Donald Trump has selected conservative TV business pundit Larry Kudlow as his top economic advisor, reports said Wednesday. Kudlow told the Wall Street Journal Trump had offered him the job of director of the National Economic Council. “I immediately accepted. I said I would be honored to accept,” Kudlow was quoted as saying. [caption id=“attachment_4390707” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Trump and Kudlow are said to get on well at a personal level/ REUTERS[/caption] CNBC, where Kudlow works as a commentator, also reported the appointment citing unnamed sources and said an announcement could come as soon as Thursday. Kudlow is known as a supporter of free markets and has criticized Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. But the Washington Post, which also reported the appointment, also described him as sharing “with Trump a hard-charging personality and a fondness for being a media figure.” Wall Street stocks have been under pressure this week amid fears of a trade war following Trump’s imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs, and amid reports the president is mulling fresh tariffs on Chinese imports aimed at the tech and telecommunications sector. Kudlow will replace former Goldman Sachs president Gary Cohn, who left the White House in protest at Trump’s tariffs.