Thread: Trump Nominates Robert Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Rep.

Former Reagan official will help president-elect fulfill campaign promise of putting American workers first

by Kathryn Blackhurst | Updated 03 Jan 2017 at 11:18 AM

Donald Trump announced Tuesday his intention to nominate former trade official Robert Lighthizer to fill the U.S. trade representative position in his administration. It’s the first in the final wave of appointments expected this week.

Lighthizer, who served as the deputy U.S. trade representative in President Ronald Reagan’s administration with the rank of ambassador, brings years of pertinent experience to the position. As the transition team noted in its statement Tuesday morning, Lighthizer played an important role in formulating the Reagan administration’s trade policy and successfully negotiated nearly two dozen international trade agreements.

“Ambassador Lighthizer is going to do an outstanding job representing the United States as we fight for good trade deals that put the American worker first,” Trump said in the statement. “He will do an amazing job helping turn around the failed trade policies which have robbed so many Americans of prosperity.”

The Lighthizer selection offers a promising first step in the fulfillment of Trump’s important campaign promise to renegotiate trade deals that have squelched American workers’ livelihoods for years while unfairly benefiting those from other countries. Lighthizer, a partner in International Trade at the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP law firm, has spent decades litigating for heavy manufacturing, agricultural, and high-tech companies and financial institutions. He also focused on “market-opening trade actions on behalf of U.S. companies seeking access to foreign markets,” the firm website noted.

“[Lighthizer] has extensive experience striking agreements that protect some of the most important sectors of our economy, and has repeatedly fought in the private sector to prevent bad deals from hurting Americans,” Trump said.

Indeed, Lighthizer is poised to implement Trump’s stated goal “to develop and implement policies that shrink our trade deficit, expand economic growth, strengthen our manufacturing base and help stop the exodus of jobs from our shores.”

“With the selection of Bob Lighthizer as USTR, Trump is following through on his campaign promises to address the trade deficit and the crisis in U.S. manufacturing and jobs,” Kevin Kearns, president of the U.S. Business & Industry Council, told LifeZette. “Lighthizer’s appointment, in addition to those of [Wilbur] Ross in commerce and [Peter] Navarro at the White House, means that the Trump administration is very well staffed to see that Mr. Trump’s trade promises and jobs promises become reality.”

For his own part, Lighthizer said in the statement, “It is a very high honor to represent our nation and to serve in President-Elect Trump’s administration as the U.S. Trade Representative,” adding, “I am fully committed to President-Elect Trump’s mission to level the playing field for American workers and forge better trade policies which will benefit all Americans.”

As the Trump administration continues to take shape and the president-elect nominates candidates to fill the final few positions, the voters who brought Trump to victory on Nov. 8 should be reassured that he is committed to following through on his campaign promises.

"We are going to stand up for the American worker like no one has ever stood up before for that worker," Trump said during a speech in Alabama on Dec. 17 during his victory tour.

With Lighthizer serving as USTR in the Trump administration, alongside Wilbur Ross as the U.S. secretary of commerce, and Peter Navarro as director of the National Trade Council, Kearns said this is "a good day for America."

"Together, the three of them make an incredibly experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated team," Kearns said. "Foreign trade cheaters, whether they be countries or individual companies, have been put on notice by President-Elect Trump that their unfair trade practices are going to end."

http://www.lifezette.com/polizette/t...u-s-trade-rep/

It's so exciting to see such a team as Trump's being assembled. These are extremely capable people who are dedicated to the Trump mission to secure our borders, fix our bad trade deals and make American great again for all of our citizens.

GO TRUMP GO!!!