After making trade a central plank of his presidential campaign, President-elect Trump’s selection for the next United States trade representative was critical for setting the tone on trade policy in the early days of the new administration as a leading indicator of how serious Trump is about dramatically changing trade policy. On Tuesday, the palace intrigue in trade policy circles was put to rest with Trump’s selection of Robert Lighthizer to run USTR.
Lighthizer’s experience makes him well-qualified for the post: He served as deputy USTR during the Reagan administration, as well as chief of staff for the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade agreements. His work since the Reagan administration, however, is troubling for many free traders.
