The White House was scrambling to put together an order that the president could sign at a 3:30 p.m. meeting with industry executives, but aides said details were in flux.
Experts say the conversations most likely do not constitute witness tampering, but they show how the president has ignored advice to avoid the appearance of interfering.
Advisers to President Trump emphasized the timing of the move could change, and the tariffs wouldn’t go into effect until after a two-week implementation period.
The loss of Mr. Cohn, who carried the banner for free trade and free markets in the White House, portends more populist trade and economic policies to come.
The president’s claims about enormous trade deficits, tariffs and the World Trade Organization are overstated and contradicted by his own economic report.
Mr. Cohn had made clear his opposition to the steel and aluminum tariffs that Mr. Trump plans to impose. It’s the latest departure from a White House in chaos.
Diplomacy between the United States and North Korea has gone through familiar cycles of long stagnation, followed by brief bursts of hope, and then inevitable disappointment.
Hosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, the president said he still had “a good chance” of forging peace, but a deal seems further away than ever.
Republicans intensified pressure on Mr. Trump to relent on his steel and aluminum tariffs while the president indicated he might provide exemptions for certain countries.