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Gary Cohn Is Firmly On Board With Trump Administration; Mnuchin Says

WASHINGTON D.C. (CBSNewYork) -- The White House reacted to word Friday, that one of the president's top aides was on the brink of resigning.

It came as President Donald Trump faced his first test of a potential natural disaster, as Hurricane Harvey lashed the Texas coast. The president will be in Texas next week, and has been monitoring the storm closely.

Trump tweeted a photo of himself receiving reports on Harvey's latest track and possible impact.

The storm is the Trump administration's first major natural disaster, and is heading into it without an appointed FEMA director or Homeland Security Secretary. The previous secretary, General John Kelly, is now the president's chief of staff.

"We've been giving him fairly regular briefing, John Kelly and myself. We also have been in touch with the FEMA administrator," Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert said.

The White House is still dealing with a storm of a different kind, the backlash from the president's response to the violent Charlottesville protests from two weeks ago.

Gary Cohn, the president's chief economic advisor was by his side as Trump defended some of the people marching with the white supremacists.

Cohn told the financial times that the Trump administration 'must do better' in condemning neo-Nazis and white supremacists. He added 'citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK."

"I think there's blame on both sides, and I have no doubt about it," Trump said.

Cohn said he faced enormous pressure to quit after the president's 'both sides' response.

On Friday, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Cohn is firmly on board.

"Gary and I have known each other for 20 years. I can tell you I'm speaking to him every day, and his number one focus is absolutely working on tax reform with me, and Gary committed to be here and he cannot be more excited about that," Mnuchin said.

Trump took executive action against the regime of Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro. The move prohibits dealing in new debt from the Venezuelan government or its state oil company. It's an effort to halt financing that fuels what the White House calls Maduro's dictatorship.

 

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