Donald Trump continues to complete the team with which he will return to the White House on January 20. The president-elect of the United States announced this Tuesday a series of appointments, including that of international trade lawyer Jamieson Greer as United States trade representative and conservative economist Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. . Greer’s appointment comes amid a storm over Trump’s tariff threats.
“Jamieson played a key role during my first term in imposing tariffs on China and other countries to combat unfair trade practices, and in replacing the failed NAFTA agreement. [con México y Canadá] by the USMCA, which made it much better for American workers,” Trump said in the statement in which he named the high trade representative. He adds that Greer’s work with his predecessor, Bob Lighthizer, in his first term “helped spur the return of manufacturing jobs to the United States and reverse decades of disastrous trade policies.”
The president-elect has tasked Greer with curbing America’s massive trade deficit, defending American manufacturing, agriculture and services, and opening export markets. Greer will be responsible for negotiating directly with foreign governments on trade agreements and disputes, as well as membership in international trade organizations such as the World Trade Organization.
From his statement it is deduced that he will not have special powers when it comes to setting tariff policy, a role for which the secretary of commerce, Howard Lutnick, and the secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, will take the lead alongside the president himself.
Trump threatened on Monday to impose 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, in what would be a violation of that UMSCA or USMCA treaty, which he defends as more beneficial than NAFTA.
The Republican also announced this Tuesday the appointment of Kevin Hassett, 62, as director of the White House National Economic Council, a position from which he will help coordinate the agenda of tax cuts, tariff protection and spending priorities of the new Administration. Hassett was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers during Trump’s first term and vigorously defended the Republican’s tax cut policies and tariff proposals.
These two organs are often confused. The Council of Economic Advisers is the White House’s internal economic think tank, while the National Economic Council, which Hassett will now lead, is the most active in policymaking. The position is now held by Lael Brainard, former vice chair of the Federal Reserve.
“He will play an important role in helping American families recover from the Inflation unleashed by the Biden Administration,” Trump wrote in the statement about Hassett’s appointment. “Together, we will renew and improve our record tax cuts, and ensure fair trade with countries that have taken advantage of the United States in the past. “Kevin will also play a key role in strengthening our economic relationships with allies, new and old, while ensuring the prosperity of the American people,” he added.
