The Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that represents manufacturers who favor import protection and support Trump’s tough approach on trade, hailed the nomination.
In testimony last year before the House Ways and Means trade subcommittee, Greer echoed Trump and Lighthizer’s hawkish view of trade with China.
Lighthizer and Greer worked together at the Skadden Arps law firm before Trump was first elected in 2016.
After Lighthizer was confirmed as U.S. trade representative by the Senate, he brought in his much younger colleague to be his chief of staff.
Economists warn Trump’s tariff threats, if fully implemented, could trigger a new round of inflation in the United States.
Greer, 44, would be at the forefront of Trump’s threat to impose a baseline tariff of up to 20 percent on all $3 trillion worth of U.S. goods if the Senate confirms his proposal. S. . a separate 60% tariff on Chinese goods in addition to exports.
In an effort to put pressure on Canada and Mexico to halt illegal migration throughout the Southern and Northern United States, Trump just this week declared he would issue an executive order imposing a 25 percent tariff on all goods from those nations. S. . boundary. In order to put pressure on Beijing to halt fentanyl shipments to the United States, he announced plans to levy an additional 10% duty on Chinese goods. A.
USTR’s work is made even more difficult by those announcements, which show how trade may intersect with other issues during the second Trump administration.
The nomination was praised by the Coalition for a Prosperous America, an organization that advocates for import protection and backs Trump’s tough trade policies.
Jamieson’s extensive knowledge of trade, industry, and economic matters, particularly his efforts to thwart China’s attempts to weaken the U.S. S. . National security and the economy will be important in this role,” the group’s CEO, Michael Stumo, stated in a statement. We have no doubt that Jamieson is aware of how the EU, Mexico, and Vietnam take advantage of America’s open economy without purchasing American goods in exchange. “.”.
Sen. Wyden Ron (D-Ore. Trump’s threat to impose across-the-board cuts, which economists have warned could reignite inflation, was criticized by the Senate Finance Committee’s outgoing chair, who was upset about Trump’s election defeats.
Wyden said, “Donald Trump has pledged to finance tax cuts for the wealthy by imposing significant tariff price increases on the goods that average families purchase on a daily basis.”. When prices skyrocket for the materials used to make Made-in-the-USA products, American workers and businesses will be negatively impacted. I’m interested to see how Mr. Greer intends to implement Trump’s plan to raise consumer prices. “”.
Greer will also supervise a possible renegotiation of the U.S. A. One of Trump’s biggest trade successes during his first term was the Mexico-Canada Agreement, but it hasn’t been able to close the trade deficit with those nations.
Although the appointment completes another important member of Trump’s economic team, it is still unclear what Lighthizer’s official role in the administration will be.
Trump and Lighthizer’s hawkish stance on trade with China was echoed by Greer in testimony before the House Ways and Means trade subcommittee last year.
“Restoring the U.S. military is vital from a defense standpoint. S. base of manufacturing to guarantee that the U. S. can legitimately prevent escalation by China and, if required, protect its interests in national security both domestically and internationally,” Greer stated.
Among the harsh measures he suggested Congress take was the revocation of permanent normal trade relations with China, which would be against U.S. S. WTO commitments by refusing China the best possible U.S. A. tariff costs.
Additionally, it would build on Trump’s unilateral tariffs on over $300 billion worth of Chinese goods during his first term and show that Congress supports more aggressive measures to cut off bilateral trade with Beijing.
In addition to continuing to use export controls and sanctions against Beijing, Greer called for aggressive enforcement of the Trump administration’s trade agreement with China, which the Biden administration criticized as being ineffectual and largely ignored.
In a less combative approach to trade, he suggested negotiating new trade agreements that open markets with nations like the U.S. K. Kenya, the Philippines, and India.
Before Trump was elected in 2016, Lighthizer and Greer were co-workers at the Skadden Arps law firm. following Lighthizer’s confirmation as U. S. . trade representative by the Senate, he appointed his chief of staff to be a much younger colleague.
In his 2023 book, “No Trade is Free,” Lighthizer praised Greer for his “excellent” work during his three years in that position. He was always in the office, well-organized, and patient. “”.
Currently a partner at King and Spalding, Greer was heavily involved in negotiations with Canada and Mexico to revamp the nearly 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement as well as with China on the so-called “phase one” trade deal.
Though he mostly played behind the scenes, Greer also occasionally covered for Lighthizer on international trips, which raised his profile abroad.
Greer, who was not involved in the Trump campaign, has spent the past year meeting with officials from several foreign embassies to discuss what to anticipate from a second Trump administration.
According to economists, Trump’s tariff threats could lead to a new wave of inflation in the US if they are fully implemented. Greer dismissed that possibility in his congressional testimony, at least with regard to tariffs on China, and contended that any expense increases would ultimately strengthen the US.
Trump’s tariffs on China “generally were not passed on to consumers, and economic indicators such as unemployment, inflation, and per capita GDP thrived during the height of the ‘trade war,'” Greer testified.
“Supply chain realignment may be necessary for meaningful enforcement, which can be challenging and time-consuming,” Greer continued.
“However, these comparatively short-term expenses must be viewed within the larger framework of our strategic rivalry with China: although a single company may encounter short-term cost or sourcing difficulties, policymakers must act in the nation’s long-term best interests. “.”.
