Official U.S. government announcements or reports from major financial news outlets

Trump Asks 'Tariff Hawk' Lighthizer to Return as U.S. Trade Representative; MXN Falls

Nov 8, 2024, 05:29 PM

President-elect Donald Trump has asked Robert Lighthizer, known as a 'Tariff Hawk,' to return as the U.S. Trade Representative, according to the Financial Times. Lighthizer, known for his protectionist trade policies and advocacy for decoupling from China, previously served in this role from 2017 to 2021 during Trump's first administration. He was instrumental in launching the trade war with China and negotiating the USMCA agreement with Mexico and Canada. Lighthizer has a background as an attorney at the Wall Street law firm Skadden Arps, where he represented the U.S. steel industry. The Mexican peso (MXN) fell to 20.25 per dollar following the news.