Trump Taps "Tariff Hawk" Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative, Signaling Renewed Trade War with China

Nov 8, 2024, 05:29 PM

President-elect Donald Trump has asked Robert Lighthizer to return as the U.S. Trade Representative, signaling a potential revival of aggressive trade policies from his previous administration. Lighthizer, known as a "Tariff Hawk," served as Trade Representative from 2017 to 2021 and played a key role in launching the trade war with China. Prior to his government service, he spent three decades at Wall Street law firm Skadden Arps, where he fought Chinese imports on behalf of the U.S. steel industry, including U.S. Steel. Although Lighthizer had expressed interest in serving as Treasury Secretary, he has been tapped to oversee U.S. trade policy once again. Lighthizer's return suggests a continuation of tariff-focused trade policies aimed at protecting American industries, indicating Trump's intention to resume the trade war with China.