President Trump's candidate Jamieson Greer, the next candidate to be the US trade representative, defending the president's plan to impose sweep tariffs on all imported products, during a confirmation hearing on Thursday. He told the senator he will work to restructure international trade relations.
Greer, a trade lawyer and former Trump administration official, told the Senate Finance Committee that the United States should “be a producer country” just like consumers, and that it is a country in the US farmers and the US international. He said he will work to open the market. Try “reversing” the deindustrialization of the nation.
“We are confident that we have a relatively short time to rebuild the international trade system to better serve the interests of the US,” he added.
Greer is former vice-chairman of Robert E. Lighthizer, Trump's first term trade representative. Greer negotiates with China, Canada, Mexico and other countries in his role, and says his supporters have extensive knowledge of trade laws.
His position could be a significant one. This could be a significant position given Trump's proposal to overturn global trading ties with full tariffs. Trade representatives will likely help Trump carry out the tariff war and potentially renegotiate the trade deal the United States has signed with Canada and Mexico.
But given that Trump said he would place Howard Luttonick, the chosen Howard Rutnick, of his commerce secretary, who is in charge of his trade policy, it is accurate to see how much autonomy his current position in the administration is. It is unknown to. Trump himself has a strong view on trade and said once elected he will become his own USTR.
On Thursday, Senate Democrats questioned the deal and denounced Trump's trade moves over the past week. The president came within hours of imposing a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, America's largest trading partners. On borders and drugs.
Trump ultimately chose to suspend tariffs in Canada and Mexico, but on Tuesday he placed an additional 10% tariff on all imports from China (a product worth over $400 billion).
Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said tariffs hurt Americans by increasing prices, and using trade policies to make them unrelated to trade. He said he is worried about other Trump officials pursuing his goals. .
“If USTR doesn't have a role in such a decision, we don't even know what their job is,” Wyden said. “It is very important for American families, workers, small businesses, manufacturers and farmers to sacrifice headlines on unrelated issues.”
Sen. Katherine Cortez Mast, a Nevada Democrat, said that her state's small businesses have already reached out to her, and that Canadian clients canceled the project due to uncertain trade relations. He said it cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Greer replied that the president is working to expand other export markets and that the US needs “to maintain the course when it comes to fentanyl.”
“Unfortunately, many companies that are victims of this trade war need an answer,” Cortez Masto replied. If the answer is that they have to be victims, close their doors and say, “Suck it up for better profit, whether that's the answer I want to take back to them. I don't know,” she said.
Clear Willems, Akin Gump's partner who worked on trade policy at the first Trump White House, said Greer had a similar view to former boss Lighthizer. Methods that were not beneficial or fair to the US.
Lighthizer “she tried to overturn that order and remake many international trading rules in a more equitable way for the US,” Willems said. “And I think Jamison will continue doing that.”
Willems said Greer brings to intimate knowledge of the role of years of experience and what actions allow for trade law.
“He needs him, so he'll be at the heart of this,” Willems said.
US Trade Representatives, a Cabinet-level official with the rank of ambassadors, leads a small agency of over 200 people with offices in Washington, Geneva and Brussels. The office is accused of working with lawmakers, farmers and employers to implement trade negotiations, resolve economic disputes with other countries, and shape trade policies.
“Jamieson is focusing on curbing the massive US trade deficit, defending US manufacturing, agriculture, services and opening up export markets,” Trump said in a November social media statement. Ta.
In contrast to other candidates for Trump, Greer is liked by the many staff he handles for having a more hostile relationship with his bureaucracy.
Before his job at the trade representative's office, Greer was an Air Force lawyer. He indicted and defended US airlines in criminal investigations and was deployed to Iraq. Greer said Thursday that he grew up in a mobile home with his parents, who worked several jobs regularly, and that he “keeps the struggles Americans face when they cut off economic growth.” I stated.
After his first Trump term, Greer became an international trade partner for law firm King & Spalding.
His financial disclosures are for clients such as iron companies Cleveland Cliff, JR Simplot Company, and various chemical companies including the National Federation of Milk Producers, the oil and gas company Talos Energy, and BASF. It showed that he was working. He has pledged to resign from his positions at King and Spalding if confirmed.
