The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Jamieson Greer as U.S. trade representative, a key post, given President Trump’s penchant for tariffs and tough negotiations with foreign adversaries and allies alike.
The vote was 56-43.
Mr. Greer is a trade attorney who served as chief of staff to Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in the first Trump administration.
Mr. Trump is pursuing an aggressive trade agenda at the outset of his second term. He slapped a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from all countries.
Also, he could follow through on threats to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
The president delayed the tariffs for a month, saying North American neighbors took steps to rein in illegal migration and drug trafficking, though he recently said the levies would take effect.
“I’m not stopping the tariffs,” Mr. Trump said Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting.
The implementation date remains unclear, however.
Mr. Trump seemed to lump in the tariffs with a separate plan to impose reciprocal tariffs on an array of nations by April, including levies on the European Union that could start a new trade war.
“The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States,” Mr. Trump said.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, meanwhile, said the Canada and Mexico tariffs would be based on a review of border and fentanyl enforcement measures by both countries.
During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Greer vowed to find new global markets for farmers and other U.S. producers. He also defended Mr. Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on U.S. neighbors to crack down on fentanyl trafficking.
Republican leaders praised Mr. Greer’s experience and temperament.
“Throughout the nomination process, Mr. Greer demonstrated his strong commitment to work with Congress in a bipartisan fashion to advance the interests of our farmers, ranchers, fishers and workers,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, Idaho Republican, said.
Democratic senators had a cordial debate with Mr. Greer but sounded the alarm about tariffs, saying they could raise prices on consumers and disrupt contracts that constituents have with Canadian suppliers. They said there are other ways to combat opioid smuggling without resorting to tariffs on friendly nations.
“Mr. Greer will be a rubber stamp for the Trump tax, the knee-jerk decision to slap tariffs on nearly everything Americans buy and make high prices even higher,” Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, said.
Meanwhile, a key business association — the National Foreign Trade Council — said it was ready to work with Mr. Greer.
“We share Ambassador Greer’s desire for an active and pragmatic trade policy that creates U.S. jobs and more resilient supply chains,” NFTC President Jake Colvin said. “We appreciate his commitment to consulting with industry stakeholders and look forward to working with him and his team to stand up for American businesses, farmers and workers and strengthen our global economic leadership.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.