Robert Lighthizer
Robert Emmet Lighthizer (born October 11, 1947) is an American lawyer.[1][2] He was the 18th United States Trade Representative from May 15, 2017 to January 20, 2021.[3]
Robert Lighthizer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 18th United States Trade Representative | |
| In office May 15, 2017 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Michael Froman |
| Succeeded by | Katherine Tai |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Emmet Lighthizer October 11, 1947 Ashtabula, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA, JD) |
Lighthizer is a partner with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where he works to gain access to foreign markets on behalf of U.S. corporations.[4] In the 1980s, he served as deputy trade representative during President Ronald Reagan's administration.[5]
Early life
Lighthizer was born in Ashtabula, Ohio. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1969 and a Juris Doctor in 1973 from Georgetown University.
Career
From 1973 through 1978, before working in government, Lighthizer worked for the Washington, DC law firm of Covington & Burling.[6]
In 1983, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan, he became deputy trade representative.[6][7] He negotiated two dozen bilateral international agreements on subjects ranging from steel to grain.[7]
In 1985, Lighthizer negotiated against the United States, on behalf of Brazil, in a trade dispute over ethanol.[8] Between 1985 and 1990, Lighthizer represented five foreign clients.[8]
He has been a long time supporter of the U.S. steel industry.[9] He convinced Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and the United Kingdom to accept “voluntary restraint agreements” to limit the amount of cheap steel they could dump on the U.S. market.[10]
United States Trade Representative (2017–2021)
On January 3, 2017, then-President-elect Donald Trump announced that he planned to nominate Lighthizer as U.S. trade representative, a cabinet-level position.[11]
Lighthizer's nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on a 82-14 vote.[3]
Personal life
Lighthizer lives in Rockville, Maryland[6] and has 2 children.[6][12]
Robert Lighthizer Media
Lighthizer greeting President Ronald Reagan in 1983
Lighthizer with former Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in January 2017
Lighthizer with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in January 2019
.jpg)
_in_January_2017.jpg)
.jpg)
References
- ↑ Rasky, Susan F. (September 30, 1984). The steel trade negotiations; the experts who will forge the new quotas. The New York Times. Last visited January 3, 2017.
- ↑ Nomination of Robert Emmet Lighthizer To Be a Deputy United States Trade Representative Archived 2018-08-24 at the Wayback Machine. The American Presidency Project. Last visited January 3, 2017.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Needham, Vicki (2017-05-11). "Senate confirms Trump's chief trade negotiator". TheHill. http://thehill.com/policy/finance/332977-lighthizer-confirmed-as-chief-trade-negotiator. Retrieved 2017-05-11.
- ↑ MARA LIASSON (January 3, 2017). Trump Picks Robert Lighthizer To Be U.S. Trade Representative. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2017/01/03/508008794/trump-picks-robert-lighthizer-to-be-u-s-trade-representative.
- ↑ Robert E. Lighthizer. Skadden.com. Last visited January 3, 2017.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Ronald Reagan: Nomination of Robert Emmet Lighthizer To Be a Deputy United States Trade Representative". Archived from the original on 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Robert E. Lighthizer". Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Bill Allison (January 25, 2017). Trump’s Trade Pick May Face Hurdle Over Past Lobbying for Brazil. Bloomberg L.P.. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-25/trump-s-trade-pick-may-face-hurdle-over-past-lobbying-for-brazil.
- ↑ Estelle Tran (January 5, 2017). STEEL INDUSTRY CHEERS NOMINATION OF LIGHTHIZER AS US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE. Platts. http://www.platts.com/news-feature/2017/oil/us-election-2016/steel-industry-lighthizer-us-trade.
- ↑ David Francis (January 9, 2017). Trump’s New Trade Guru May Actually Be the Adult in the Room. Foreign Policy Magazine. https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-trade-guru-may-actually-195144194.html.
- ↑ Jacobs, Jennifer (January 3, 2017). Trump Taps China Critic Lighthizer for U.S. Trade Representative. Bloomberg. Last visited January 3, 2017.
- ↑ Anne Swardson (January 19, 1987). ROBERT E. LIGHTHIZER. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/01/19/robewrt-e-lighthizer/6fe88a5f-aec9-4bba-95d0-2316db9617ca/.
Other websites
Media related to Robert Lighthizer at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related to Robert Lighthizer at Wikiquote