Trump taps Jamieson Greer for USTR to push ambitious tariff policies

President-elect Donald Trump made a cabinet pick Tuesday, Nov. 26, that will play a crucial role in his second administration. Trump announced trade attorney Jamieson Greer will be his U.S. trade representative, overseeing the policy central to his campaign.

Greer served as an Air Force lawyer and eventually transitioned to trade. He is a protégé of Robert Lighthizer, the USTR during Trump’s first term. The two worked together before Trump was elected in 2016, and Lighthizer brought Greer on to serve as his chief of staff when he assumed the role in the administration. 

Greer spent most of the time behind the scenes while Lighthizer was front and center during Trump’s first administration. Lighthizer is noticeably absent as the president-elect fills his cabinet this time around. He’s been passed over for Commerce Secretary, Treasury Secretary and now his previous post is being filled by his chief of staff.

In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said Greer played a key role during his first term, “imposing Tariffs on China and others to combat unfair Trade practices, and replacing the failed NAFTA deal with USMCA.” 

Trump added Greer will focus “on reining in the Country’s massive Trade Deficit, defending American Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Services, and opening up Export Markets everywhere.”

Greer will have a full plate if his nomination is confirmed. On Monday, Nov. 25, Trump announced in a Truth Social post that on his first day as president, he’ll sign an executive order charging Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on all products coming into the United States.

Beyond implementing the policy, existing trade deals that Trump negotiated could cause a bit of a headache for Greer according to trade experts. 

“It is a violation of the USMCA. The U.S. just basically said, ‘Oops, we are going to impose these tariffs no matter what our treaty says,’” Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics specializing in U.S. trade flows and U.S.-China trade, said.

While the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) isn’t set to expire until 2036, it will be up for a six-year review in 2026. Greer would play an important role in the review. 

The president-elect also announced an additional 10% tariff on China related to the fentanyl crisis, with more action on China expected. Politico reports Greer was instrumental in negotiating Phase One of the U.S.-China trade deal and the USMCA.

Tariffs are arguably the most prominent economic policy touted by Trump as he ran for a second term. He’s floating tariffs as high as 60% or more on China. If prior comments are any indication, Greer will aggressively enforce the president’s agenda. 

In congressional testimony, Greer said 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.'”

“There is no silver bullet, and in some cases the effort to pursue strategic decoupling from China will cause short-term pain,” Greer wrote. “However, the cost of doing nothing or underestimating the threat posed by China is far greater.”

The president-elect also announced Kevin Hassett would serve as the director of the White House National Economic Council. Hassett was a senior adviser during the first Trump administration. Before Trump, Hassett advised every Republican nominee for president since 2004.

Trump said Hassett “played a crucial role in helping to design and pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.”

“He will play an important role in helping American families recover from the Inflation that was unleashed by the Biden Administration. Together, we will renew and improve our record Tax Cuts, and ensure that we have Fair Trade with Countries that have taken advantage of the United States in the past,” Trump said about Hassett’s future role.