Icahn ends White House role over ‘conflict of interest’ row

Bloomberg

Carl Icahn’s role as a special regulatory adviser to President Donald Trump has ended
after questions were raised by Democratic lawmakers about
potential conflicts of interest with his business dealings in oil refining and insurance.
In a letter to Trump addressing his departure that was posted Friday on Icahn’s website, the billionaire investor denied profiting from his advice-giving role — a possibility raised by critics who had asked administration officials to
investigate his work.
“Contrary to the insinuations of a handful of your Democratic critics, I never had access to nonpublic information or profited from my position, nor do I believe that my role presented conflicts of interest,” Icahn wrote in the letter. “Indeed, out of an abundance of caution, the only issues I ever discussed with you were broad matters of policy affecting the refining industry.” Icahn’s departure capped a tumultuous week for the White House following
controversial comments by Trump that seemed to lend legitimacy to white supremacists and sparked a wave of CEO
departures from presidential advisory panels.