An op-ed in the New York Times said that President-elect Donald Trump should appoint individuals who fully support his tariff policies to fulfill his promise to prioritize American workers and domestic manufacturing, and the writer believes that Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s former trade representative, is the perfect choice for this task.
In his article, Compact magazine founder Matthew Schmitz nominates Lighthizer because some members of Trump’s government are known for their support for reducing tariffs. For example, billionaire Elon Musk praised Argentina’s reduction of tariffs during the era of President Javier Milli in order to promote free trade.
Rich history
The writer pointed out that Lighthizer played a major role in the trade war with China during Trump’s last presidency, when the administration challenged decades of free trade policies and imposed large tariffs on Chinese goods.
Hence, according to the author, Lighthizer is qualified to support the measures proposed by Trump, which are considered a major shift in American trade policy, as the president-elect wants to impose customs tariffs of 60% on Chinese goods and comprehensive tariffs of 20% on other imports. These policies aim to Increase revenues, separate the American economy from China, and revive American industry.
Economists warn that these tariffs may raise prices and harm jobs, but Lighthizer criticized supporters of free trade, saying that their criticisms are inaccurate, according to the article.
In an interview, he recalled his warning in 1997 that China’s entry into the World Trade Organization with the goal of promoting free trade would harm American industry, a prediction confirmed by the loss of 985,000 American jobs from 1999 to 2011 due to the “China shock.”
The perfect choice
What makes Lighthizer an excellent choice, according to the writer, is that he is a Republican who has built relationships with the Democratic Party, including with civil rights icon John Lewis and labor leaders such as Richard Trumka, which will facilitate mobilizing support for Trump’s trade decisions.
According to the author, Lighthizer calls for “good economics” that prioritizes providing good jobs for Americans and building strong families and healthy communities. This approach combines tariffs with a call for lower taxes.
This distinguishes Lighthizer from both conservatives and progressive liberals on free trade, and makes him an attractive choice for voters who voted for Trump because they thought he would support workers’ rights.
The writer confirms the public’s support for Lighthizer’s approach, citing a poll conducted in September that showed that 56% of voters would support a candidate who calls for imposing tariffs of 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on other goods.
