Larry Kudlow

Larry Kudlow

Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, Director

National Economic Council

RECORD

A senior White House official during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kudlow used his public position to repeatedly downplay the severity of the outbreak and promote false talking points claiming that the administration’s response had been successful.  

COVID Disinformation

  • Throughout the pandemic, Kudlow downplayed the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. [Washington Post, 06/25/20]

News Coverage and Headlines

  • “Shortly after, Mr. Kudlow made his ‘airtight’ comments on CNBC, adding that the virus would not be ‘an economic tragedy.’ Two hours after that, however, his Hoover presentation struck Mr. Callanan as backpedaling. Mr. Kudlow ‘revised his statement about the virus being contained,’ Mr. Callanan wrote to Mr. Tepper, saying ‘we just don’t know’ whether it was at the time — even as Mr. Kudlow continued to downplay its consequences to the private audience. Mr. Kudlow ‘did add that he has recommended to the president a period of ‘tariff tranquility,’ as markets don’t need more uncertainty now.’’” [The New York Times, 10/14/20]
  • “President Trump’s top economic adviser [Larry Kudlow] referred to the coronavirus pandemic in the past tense during a short taped speech at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night. […] After talking up Trump’s economic record, he added, ‘Then came a once in 100 year pandemic. It was awful. Health and economic impacts were tragic. Hardship and heartbreak were everywhere. But presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively, with an extraordinary rescue for health and safety to successfully fight the COVID virus.’ On the day Kudlow made his remarks, there were approximately 39,000 new COVID-19 cases and 1,200 deaths from the virus recorded in the United States.” [Daily Beast, 08/26/20]