President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Jamieson Greer to be the US trade representative. Greer served in the first Trump administration as former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s chief of staff.
Greer participated in bilateral negotiations with China for the signing of a ‘Phase 1’ trade deal in January 2020. However, many commitments outlined in the deal, including China’s agreement to purchase $200bn (1.45trn yuan) worth of US goods over two years, did not materialise due to the pandemic.
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He would be at the forefront of Trump’s plan to apply 10–20% across-the-board import tariffs, with an elevated 60% for Chinese imports. He would also be central in renegotiating the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the deal that secures North American free trade.
When Greer testified before the US-China Economic Security Review Commission in May, he expressed his support for “increased tariff usage” against China and noted the importance of protecting sensitive US technology.
“Jamieson’s deep understanding of economic, industrial and trade issues, especially his work to counter China’s efforts to undermine US economic and national security, will be crucial in this role,” the Coalition for a Prosperous America’s CEO, Michael Stumo, said on Greer’s nomination. The group represents manufacturers that support protecting imports and Trump’s stance on trade.
Stumo added the group was “confident Jamieson understands how Mexico, Vietnam and the EU are exploiting America’s open economy for their advantage while not buying American made products in return”.
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By GlobalDataGreer feels Biden’s administration has not gone far enough when it comes to China, saying the administration preferred “hot rhetoric” instead of “meaningful action”. He added that he did “not subscribe to the myth that more trade reduces the likelihood of conflict”.
He has expressed support for negotiating free trade deals with specific countries such as the UK, India, Kenya and the Philippines.
His thoughts on US trade with Europe, Mexico and Canada will be closely watched as Trump has continued to feed anxieties by threatening high import tariffs with his neighbours.
