This morning President-Elect Trump announced his long awaited pick for United States Trade Representative (“USTR”): Jamieson Greer. Mr. Greer is a familiar face, having served as the Chief of Staff to USTR Robert Lighthizer during the first Trump Administration. He is currently an attorney at the Washington D.C. law firm King & Spalding, where he handles a variety of trade-related issues.
Mr. Greer has not yet made a public comment about his nomination to the role, giving us precious little information on what he plans to do as USTR. About Mr. Greer, the President-Elect said “Jamieson will focus the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on reining in the Country’s massive Trade Deficit, defending American Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Services, and opening up Export Markets everywhere.” Media sources also report that Mr. Greer played a key role in the Lighthizer Office of USTR, including negotiating the USMCA and imposing Section 301 tariffs on China.
Taken together with Mr. Greer’s record in the Office of the USTR, the President-Elect comments paint a more clear picture of what’s on the horizon: tariffs. It’s notable that this announcement comes the day after the President-Elect announced a plan to impose additional tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada. If the incoming Trump Administration wants to impose new tariffs, Jamieson Greer might be exactly the man for the job.