The news that Larry Kudlow had a heart attack was tweeted out to the world on June 11 by President Donald Trump from Singapore, as he waited for the summit with Kim Jong Un to begin.
“Our Great Larry Kudlow, who has been working so hard on trade and the economy, has just suffered a heart attack. He is now in Walter Reed Medical Center,” wrote Trump.
On June 12, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said: “National Economic Council Director and Assistant to the President Larry Kudlow, is expected to remain at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as a standard precaution after experiencing what his doctors say, was a very mild heart attack yesterday.
“His doctors expect Larry will make a full and speedy recovery. We look forward to seeing him back at work soon. Larry and his wife Judy wanted to express heartfelt appreciation for all of the thoughts, prayers and well-wishes.”
According to media reports, a stent was inserted into one of Kudlow’s arteries, and he is said to be making and taking phone calls from friends.
Kudlow was named director of the National Economic Council on March 14, replacing investment banker Gary Cohn, but he had played a significant role in Trump’s presidency behind the scenes.
Kudlow was one of a small group of advisers whose work informed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which has been the greatest legislative success and domestic policy achievement of the Trump presidency.
His approach in helping draw up Trump’s tax plan was set forth in the 2016 book “JFK and the Reagan Revolution: A Secret History of American Prosperity,” in which Kudlow and coauthor Brian Domitrovic set out the Kennedy and Reagan tax cuts as a model for public policy.
Kudlow also brings to his duties at the White House his skill as a communicator, having been the key figure in several CNBC TV shows and also having had a popular syndicated radio show for the past seven years.
His role as spokesperson was on display in the wake of the tense G7 summit, as Kudlow went on TV to explain how Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “really kind of stabbed us in the back.”
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