Top Aide Breaks Ranks With Trump On Neo-Nazis

Donald Trump's top economic advisor criticized his failure to unequivocally condemn neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups, breaking ranks with the president and exposing deep unease inside the White House

WASHINGTON, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Aug, 2017 ) - Donald Trump's top economic advisor criticized his failure to unequivocally condemn neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups, breaking ranks with the president and exposing deep unease inside the White House on Friday.

Gary Cohn -- head of the White House national economic council and one of the most prominent Jewish-Americans in Trump's administration -- went public with his displeasure over the president's response to recent deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"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 told the Financial Times, without specifically naming Trump.

Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs executive tipped as a possible future chairman of the Federal Reserve, said he faced "tremendous pressure" to quit after the president appeared to draw moral equivalence between white nationalist demonstrators and anti-racism counter-protesters.

One woman was killed when an avowed white supremacist plowed his car into a crowd of people after the Charlottesville rally turned violent, and numerous demonstrators were injured during the events of August 11 and 12.

Trump drew widespread condemnation when he suggested there was blame "on both sides," and that there were "very fine people" among the white supremacist protesters -- who were opposing the removal of a statue honoring secessionist Civil War general Robert E.

Lee. Cohn told the FT that "citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK." Having faced calls to quit, Cohn said he decided he could be more effective by remaining in the administration and would not be pushed out.

"I have come under enormous pressure both to resign and to remain in my current position," the former banker told the British daily. "As a patriotic American, I am reluctant to leave my post...

because I feel a duty to fulfill my commitment to work on behalf of the American people," Cohn said. "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 added.