President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as the next U.S. trade representative, Jamieson Greer, is slated to appear before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday.
Greer, who previously served as the chief of staff to the trade representative during Trump’s first term, played a key role in implementing tariffs during Trump’s first administration, the president said when unveiling Greer’s nomination.
Specifically, Trump said Greer assisted with imposing tariffs on China and other nations and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico.
A lawyer and Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps veteran with one deployment to Iraq, Greer’s role as U.S. trade representative would require him to negotiate with foreign governments on trade deals and disputes and membership of international trade bodies like the World Trade Organization.
Greer’s confirmation hearing comes just after Trump announced he would impose new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China.
The White House announced Friday that in response to an ‘invasion of illegal fentanyl’ to the U.S., it would impose a 25% tariff on all goods entering the United States from Mexico and Canada, a 10% tariff on Canadian energy and a 10% tariff on all goods entering the U.S. from China.
Tariffs against China went into effect Tuesday, although Trump agreed to push back tariffs against Mexico and Canada by at least one month after discussions with each respective country about securing the border.
While Trump acknowledged on Friday the tariffs might result in ‘temporary, short-term disruption,’ Democrats claim American taxpayers will end up hurting and paying the price.
According to one Washington think tank, the nonpartisan Peterson Institute for International Economics, these rounds of tariffs are expected to cost U.S. households roughly $1,200 a year annually.
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.