Top adviser to president dines at the Frisky Oyster in Greenport
A political dispute involving President Trump and one of his top advisers gained steam following National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn’s visit to the North Fork, according to the Washington Post.
Mr. Cohn reportedly dined with friends at the Frisky Oyster in Greenport Wednesday where he complained loudly about the president and then expanded on those thoughts in an interview Friday with the Financial Times, criticizing Mr. Trump’s comments following the violence in Charlottesville.
The Washington Post described it as an “unprecedented rebuke of President Trump … forcing the White House to respond to harsh, public criticism from one of the president’s top advisers.” The New York Times called it a “stunning critique of the president” and reported that Mr. Cohn had written a resignation letter but then changed his mind.
The Washington Post article continues:
On Wednesday evening, Cohn complained loudly about Trump while dining with friends at a Long Island restaurant called the Frisky Oyster.
Cohn explained to his companions — in a loud voice overheard by others — that he had to be careful not to give Trump too much lead time about some new ideas because the president could disclose the information prematurely and upend the planning process, according to a person familiar with the dinner.
Shannon Beaver, who co-owns the Frisky Oyster along with her husband Robby, told The Suffolk Times that the diners in question “seemed to enjoy their meal very much.”
“With all of the attention to this particular evening [following the Washington Post article], we reviewed surveillance of the diners at that table as well as the neighboring table, and it was very interesting. That said, we like to respect the privacy and identity of all our diners.”
The Washington Post article added:
The new drama could yet again distract from the White House’s plans to advance its policy priorities. Trump hopes to begin a public push to overhaul the tax code next week. Cohn and his team are playing a central role in developing the administration’s strategy — as well as designing a $1 trillion infrastructure plan.
Cohn stood beside the president at Trump Tower last week at an infrastructure event as Trump defended his response to the Charlottesville violence, saying there were “very fine people” protesting with the white supremacists. While he initially did not comment, Cohn made clear — to people inside the White House and friends in New York — that he would not keep quiet about his fury over Trump’s response to the violence.
