Kudlow says as economic adviser it ‘no longer matters’ if he always agrees with Trump

President Trump’s newly announced senior economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Wednesday that when it comes to advising the president on economic policy, he will abide by Trump’s decisions.

“Once the decision is made, it’s made,” Kudlow said on “Closing Bell” on CNBC, the financial news network he has contributed to since 1989.

“I understand that. I may not agree with every crossed t or dotted i, but that no longer matters,” he added.

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Kudlow also spoke about “phase two on tax cuts” and working with the president and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) on additional issues including trade, infrastructure and immigration.

“The president and Kevin Brady have been talking about phase two on tax cuts,” Kudlow said. “There may be more action on that front. Trade will be very important. Infrastructure will be very important. Immigration will be very important.”

Ludlow, who is a contributor to The Hill, shared that he has been in contact with the president over the past few days leading up to his selection to replace Gary Cohn. The White House confirmed Kudlow’s appointment as assistant to 
the president for economic policy and director of the National
 Economic Council earlier on Wednesday.

“We’ve had tremendous conversations on this Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and even this morning,” he said. “It’s been wonderful talking through a number of points and issues. He is intimately familiar with my views and I am intimately familiar with his views.”

Kudlow, who served in the Reagan administration as a White House budget aide and was chief economist at Bear Stearns Companies Inc. for seven years before joining CNBC nearly 30 years ago, also became choked up when looking back at his long tenure at CNBC.

“It’s an enormous honor. My life has had twists and turns. And as people know — you know, with God’s grace, I’ll have 23 years clean and sober in the next couple months,” Kudlow said, referencing his issues with cocaine abuse. “That made it all possible. And wonderful people like you and Kelly [Evans] and Mark Hoffman, and everybody else here, the whole news room. It’s just — I love it.”

“But there are greater responsibilities, I’m aware of that. I believe I’m up to the task. I’ve got a lot of energy,” the 70-year-old added.