President-elect Trump said tonight he has chosen Jamieson Greer, who served as chief of staff to Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer during Trump’s first term, as his trade representative. 

Trump’s intent to nominate Greer did not clarify what authority Greer would have in relationship with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s choice as commerce secretary.

Trump said that Lutnick would be in charge of USTR, but critics have noted that may be legally difficult because the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is part of the Office of the President, while commerce is a separate Cabinet agency.

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But Greer’s closeness to Lighthizer would indicate that he is willing to accept Trump’s view that tariffs are a key negotiating tool. 

Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the ranking member and likely future chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said, “Americans succeed when given the freedom to compete and the entire country benefits from smart trade policies.”

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“After years of inaction, the USTR now has the opportunity to negotiate real trade agreements and enforce America’s rights under existing agreements,” Crapo said.

“Jamieson Greer has extensive trade policy experience, including in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and will be a critical partner in the effort to expand market access and level the playing field for American farmers, manufacturers and service providers.

“I look forward to reviewing his nomination and discussing priorities when he appears before the committee,” Crapo said.

Upon leaving USTR, Greer became a partner in the international trade team at King & Spalding, an American multinational corporate law firm that is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., with offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

His practice covers trade remedies, trade policy and negotiations, trade agreement enforcement, export and import compliance, and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States matters, King & Spalding said in his firm biography. 

His clients include manufacturing, technology, energy, pharmaceutical, agriculture, financial and investment services, hospitality, and aerospace and defense companies, the firm said. 

His biography also noted that Greer “worked very closely with Ambassador Lighthizer and senior White House officials on developing and implementing trade policy and advised the USTR on all aspects of the agency’s mission.”

“Jamieson was also deeply involved in the administration’s negotiations on the Phase One trade deal with China and participated in numerous strategy sessions with Ambassador Lighthizer, the president and other cabinet members as part of that process.

“He was a critical part of USTR’s efforts to negotiate and obtain congressional approval of the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Jamieson participated in every major administration trade action initiated during his three years at USTR.

“Before working at USTR, Jamieson spent several years in private practice focusing on trade-related matters, from compliance with U.S. export controls to transactions subject to CFIUS’s approval, trade remedies and antidumping laws.

“Jamieson also served in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps, including a deployment to Iraq. He served as both prosecutor and defense counsel in criminal investigations and courts-martial involving U.S. airmen,” the firm said.  

Earlier he was of counsel at the firm of Kirkland & Ellis and an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. He also spent four months as a law clerk at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, according to his bio.

Greer appears regularly in print and news media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and the BBC, the firm said. 

Greer received his bachelor of arts degree from Brigham Young University, master’s degrees from the University of Paris and Sciences Po and his law degree from the University of Virginia.