Robert Lighthizer

Lighthizer was born on 11 October 1947 to Orville James and Michaelene Lighthizer in Ashtabula, Ohio, where his father practiced medicine.{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Sara |date=January 31, 2017 |title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Robert Lighthizer |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-01-31/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-robert-lighthizer |access-date=September 18, 2017 |website=U.S. News & World Report}} He attended Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, Ohio, and later graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1969 and a Juris Doctor in 1973.{{Cite web |last=Kranz |first=Michal |date=18 January 2018 |title=Here's where Trump's cabinet went to college |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/where-trumps-cabinet-went-to-college-2018-1 |website=Business Insider}}

File:Reagan Contact Sheet C14183 (cropped).jpg in 1983]]

After graduating from law school, Lighthizer joined Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C. as an associate attorney. In 1978, Lighthizer left Covington & Burling to work for Senator Bob Dole (R-Kan.), who at the time was the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/01/19/robewrt-e-lighthizer/6fe88a5f-aec9-4bba-95d0-2316db9617ca/|title=Robert E. Lightizer|last=Swardson|first=Anne|date=January 19, 1987|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=September 19, 2017|issn=0190-8286}} When Dole became Chairman of the Finance Committee in 1981, Lighthizer became the committee's staff director and chief of staff.{{cite news |author=Rasky |first=Susan F. |author-link=Susan Rasky |date=September 30, 1984 |title=The Steel Trade Negotiations; The Experts Who Will Forge the New Quotas |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/30/business/the-steel-trade-negotiations-the-experts-who-will-forge-the-new-quotas.html |newspaper=The New York Times}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=41174|title=Ronald Reagan: Nomination of Robert Emmet Lighthizer To Be a Deputy United States Trade Representative|website=Presidency.ucsb.edu|access-date=September 19, 2017|archive-date=August 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824114028/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=41174|url-status=dead}} While working for the committee, he helped shepherd through President Ronald Reagan's tax cuts and Social Security reform.{{Cite news |last=Shribman |first=David |author-link=David M. Shribman |date=1983-04-27 |title=RISING WITH A NETWORK OF CONTACTS |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/27/us/rising-with-a-network-of-contacts.html |access-date=2024-01-17 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}} In the 1980s, Lighthizer hired fellow Georgetown Hoya Patrick Ewing as an intern.

In 1983, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan, Lighthizer was nominated and confirmed to serve as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative under William Brock.{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/98th-congress/189|title=PN189 – Nomination of Robert Emmet Lighthizer for Office of the U. S. Trade Representative, 98th Congress (1983–1984)|date=April 15, 1983|website=Congress.gov|access-date=May 18, 2018}} During his tenure, Lighthizer negotiated over two dozen bilateral international agreements, including agreements on steel, automobiles, and agricultural products.{{Cite web |title=United States Trade Representative, Robert E. Lighthizer |url=https://ustr.gov/about-us/biographies-key-officials/united-states-trade-representative-robert-e-lighthizer |access-date=September 19, 2017 |website=Ustr.gov}} As Deputy USTR, Lighthizer also served as vice chairman of the board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

In 1985, Lighthizer joined the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (Skadden) as a partner. He practiced international trade law at Skadden for over 30 years, representing American workers and businesses ranging from manufacturing to financial services, agriculture, and technology. While at Skadden, Lighthizer worked to expand markets to U.S. exports and defended U.S. industries from unfair trading practices. He defended the steel industry in particular.{{cite magazine | last1=Peterson | first1=Matt | title=The Making of a Trade Warrior | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/12/robert-lighthizers-bid-cut-chinas-trade-influence/578611/ | date=December 29, 2018 | magazine=The Atlantic | access-date=January 4, 2019}}

Lighthizer served in a senior position in the 1988 presidential campaign of U.S. senator Bob Dole. In 1996, he served as the treasurer of the Dole campaign.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00300608/?cycle=1996&tab=about-committee|title=Dole for President Inc – committee overview |website=Fec.gov|access-date=September 19, 2017}}

File:Robert Lighthizer, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as United States Trade Representative meets with U.S. Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) in January 2017.jpg, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in January 2017]]

On January 3, 2017, Donald Trump announced that he planned to nominate Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative, a cabinet-level position.{{Cite news |last=Jacobs |first=Jennifer |author-link=Jennifer Jacobs |date=January 3, 2017 |title=Trump Taps China Critic Lighthizer for U.S. Trade Representative |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-03/trump-said-to-pick-lighthizer-for-u-s-trade-representative-ixgysdcc |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210409212519/https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-03/trump-said-to-pick-lighthizer-for-u-s-trade-representative-ixgysdcc |archive-date=April 9, 2021 |access-date=September 19, 2017 |work=Bloomberg}}{{Cite web |title=The White House |url=https://greatagain.gov/ustr-dcf9bf87f3bd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905122348/https://greatagain.gov/ustr-dcf9bf87f3bd |archive-date=September 5, 2017 |access-date=September 19, 2017 |website=Whitehouse.gov}} On January 23, press reports speculated that Lighthizer's nomination might require a waiver of section 141(b)(4) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, due to his brief representation of a foreign government in litigation 25 years prior.{{Cite news|url=https://insidetrade.com/share/157299|title={{!}} InsideTrade.com|work=InsideTrade.com|access-date=September 19, 2017}} In March, White House Counsel Donald McGahn sent a letter to Senate leadership citing a Clinton-era opinion by the White House Counsel arguing that the statute was an unconstitutional limit on the president's ability to appoint his cabinet.{{Cite news|url=https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/mar2017/wto2017_0071a.pdf|title=Login Redirect Cookie|date=November 26, 2013|work=InsideTrade.com|access-date=September 19, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://biotech.law.lsu.edu/blaw/olc/barsh2.htm|title=Constitutionality of Statute Governing Appointment of United States Trade Representative|website=Biotech.law.lsu.edu|access-date=December 28, 2018}}

At his confirmation hearing, Lighthizer was introduced by former senator Bob Dole and U.S. senators from Ohio Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman. In introducing Lighthizer, Brown said, "Mr. Lighthizer is eminently qualified, as Senator Dole said, for this job. He has a long history of fighting on behalf of American manufacturers, and I would add, American workers."{{Cite web|url=https://www.finance.senate.gov/hearings/hearing-to-consider-the-nomination-of-robert-lighthizer-of-florida-to-be-united-states-trade-representative-with-the-rank-of-ambassador-extraordinary-and-plenipotentiary|title=Hearing to Consider the Nomination of Robert Lighthizer, of Florida, to be United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary {{!}} The United States Senate Committee on Finance|website=Finance.senate.gov|access-date=September 19, 2017}}

On April 25, the Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved Lighthizer's nomination to serve as the U.S. Trade Representative as well as a waiver of section 141(b)(4) of the Trade Act of 1974.{{Cite news |last=Dupont |first=Dan |date=April 25, 2017 |title=Finance Committee unanimously votes to approve Lighthizer confirmation, waiver |url=https://insidetrade.com/daily-news/finance-committee-unanimously-votes-approve-lighthizer-confirmation-waiver |access-date=September 19, 2017 |work=InsideTrade.com}} Lighthizer was confirmed as the 18th U.S. Trade Representative on May 11, 2017, by a margin of 82–14.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-11/lighthizer-approval-as-u-s-trade-chief-clears-way-for-nafta-redo|title=Lighthizer Approval as Trade Rep Paves Way for Nafta Talks|date=May 11, 2017|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=September 19, 2017}}{{Cite web |title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress – 1st Session |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=115&session=1&vote=00127 |access-date=September 19, 2017 |website=Senate.gov}} He was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on May 15, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2017/may/robert-e-lighthizer-sworn-united-states|title=Robert E. Lighthizer Sworn In As United States Trade Representative |website=Ustr.gov|access-date=May 18, 2018}}

Three days later, on May 18, Lighthizer notified Congress that President Trump intended to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which would make him the first USTR to renegotiate a major U.S. free trade agreement.{{cite web|url=https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/Releases/NAFTA%20Notification.pdf|title=Letter concerning NAFDTA|website=Ustr.gov|access-date=28 December 2018}}

According to multiple reports, Lighthizer became one of the most influential Trump Administration officials and the lead figure in formulating the administration's trade policy.{{cite web | last1=Swan | first1=Jonathan | title=China hawk Lighthizer Increasingly Influential in White House | url=https://www.axios.com/china-hawk-lighthizer-increasingly-influential-in-white-house-1513307047-79e06f29-8217-4bc8-a0e5-f0de95acdd41.html | date=November 19, 2017 | publisher=Axios | access-date=March 11, 2018}}{{cite web | last1=Swanson |first1=Ana | title=The Little-Known Trade Adviser Who Wields Enormous Power in Washington |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/09/us/politics/robert-lighthizer-trade.html | date=March 9, 2018 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date=March 11, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Davis | first1=Bob | title=The Architect of Trump's Threatened China Trade War |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-architect-of-trumps-tough-on-china-policy-1523028038 |date=April 6, 2018 | newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=April 7, 2018}} The reports noted his agreement with Trump on trade issues.{{cite web | last1=Restuccia | first1=Andrew | last2=Cassella | first2=Megan | title='Ideological soulmates': How a China skeptic sold Trump on a trade war | url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/26/trump-lighthizer-china-trade-war-1075221 | date=December 26, 2018 | publisher=Politico | access-date=December 26, 2018}} Lighthizer played a key role in the administration's renegotiation of NAFTA and the United States' trade war with China.{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Doug |date=2021-01-04 |title=Turn it up to 11: Trump's trade carnage went beyond tariff wars |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/04/trump-trade-carnage-tariff-wars-454512 |website=Politico}}{{Cite web |last=DePillis |first=Lydia |date=2020-10-13 |title=Robert Lighthizer Blew Up 60 Years of Trade Policy. Nobody Knows What Happens Next. |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/robert-lighthizer-blew-up-60-years-of-trade-policy-nobody-knows-what-happens-next |website=ProPublica}}{{Cite news |date=2020-12-17 |title=We're proud of what we've done, says Trump's trade chief |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55345826 |access-date=2023-12-14}}{{Cite web |title=No Trade Is Free — Robert Lighthizer's lessons from Trump's tariff war with China |url=https://www.ft.com/content/327ee953-144f-43e1-8024-296ab001a38a |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Financial Times}}

Lighthizer has stated that using tariffs to promote American industry was a Republican tenet dating back to the pro-business politicians who established the party.{{cite news | title=Lighthizer: Donald Trump is no liberal on trade | url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/may/9/donald-trump-is-no-liberal-on-trade/ | author=Robert E. Lighthizer | newspaper=Washington Times | date=May 9, 2011}} He has called for a "new American System" of trade policy that uses tariffs to offset the United States's trade deficit and restore the manufacturing sector in the United States.{{Cite web |last=Lighthizer |first=Robert |date=August 29, 2022 |title=The New American System: Trade for Workers in the 21st Century |url=https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-new-american-system-trade-for-workers-in-the-21st-century/ |access-date=December 14, 2023}} In a 2008 op-ed, he also defended protectionism.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/opinion/06iht-edlighthizer.1.10774536.html|title=The venerable history of protectionism|first=Robert E.|last=Lighthizer|date=March 6, 2008|access-date=December 28, 2018|website=The New York Times}}

Lighthizer believes that a good trade agreement must "strike a balance among economic security, economic efficiency, and the needs of working people", and he described the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement he negotiated the "model deal."{{Cite news |last=Lighthizer |first=Robert E. |date=2020-06-09 |title=How to Make Trade Work for Workers |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2020-06-09/how-make-trade-work-workers |access-date=2024-01-16 |work=Foreign Affairs |issue=July/August 2020 |issn=0015-7120}} Speaking at a July 2020 event at Chatham House, Lighthizer stated that bilateral trade agreements and a multilateral system conflict with each other, and that one of those two options should be chosen over the other.{{cite web | last1=Lawder | first1=David | last2=Shalal | first2=Andrea | title=USTR Lighthizer says bilateral trade pacts conflict with multilateral trading system | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-lighthizer/ustr-lighthizer-says-bilateral-trade-pacts-conflict-with-multilateral-trading-system-idUSKBN24A2VG | date=July 9, 2020 | agency=Reuters| access-date=July 15, 2020}}

File:Meeting Between the United States and China on Trade (33053070308).jpg in January 2019]]

Politico describes Lighthizer as "a decades-long skeptic of Beijing". Lighthizer has accused the country of China of unfair trade practices,{{cite news | title=Trump Taps China Critic Lighthizer for U.S. Trade Representative | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-03/trump-said-to-pick-lighthizer-for-u-s-trade-representative-ixgysdcc | author=Jennifer Jacobs | publisher=Bloomberg L.P. | date=January 2, 2017}} and he believes China needs to make substantive and structural changes to its trade policies, as opposed to only minor changes it has offered in the past.{{cite news | last1=Thrush | first1=Glenn | title=As China Talks Begin, Trump's Trade Negotiator Tries to Keep President From Wavering | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/us/politics/robert-lighthizer-president-trump.html | date=January 1, 2019 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date=January 13, 2019}} He wrote, "The icon of modern conservatism, Ronald Reagan, imposed quotas on imported steel, protected Harley-Davidson from Japanese competition, restrained import of semiconductors and automobiles, and took myriad similar steps to keep American industry strong. How does allowing China to constantly rig trade in its favor advance the core conservative goal of making markets more efficient? Markets do not run better when manufacturing shifts to China largely because of the actions of its government."

In a 1997 op-ed in The New York Times, Lighthizer advocated against allowing China to join the World Trade Organization.{{cite web | last1=Lighthizer | first1=Robert E. | title=What Did Asian Donors Want? | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/25/opinion/what-did-asian-donors-want.html | date=February 25, 1997 | work=The New York Times | access-date=May 16, 2020}} He suggested that the U.S. should bring more cases against China for failure to comply with the regulations of the World Trade Organization. In testimony before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in 2010, Lighthizer said that "USTR (U.S. Trade Representative) should pursue WTO litigation with respect to all such examples of non-compliance. If necessary, Congress should give USTR additional resources to increase its ability."{{cite news|url=http://www.platts.com/news-feature/2017/oil/us-election-2016/steel-industry-lighthizer-us-trade|title=Steel Industry Cheers Nomination of Lighthizer as US Trade Representative |author=Estelle Tran|date=January 5, 2017|publisher=Platts}} Lighthizer called for reforming the WTO during a testimony to Congress on June 17, 2020.{{cite web | last1=Shalal | first1=Andrea | title=U.S. trade chief vows to push for 'broad reset' at WTO | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-lighthizer/u-s-trade-chief-vows-to-push-for-broad-reset-at-wto-idUSKBN23O212 | date=June 17, 2020 | agency=Reuters| access-date=June 18, 2020}}

In March 2020, Lighthizer stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the United States must promote domestic manufacturing of medical supplies and reduce its reliance on foreign countries.{{cite web | title=Coronavirus shows U.S. too dependent on cheap medical imports, USTR says | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-trade-ustr/coronavirus-shows-us-too-dependent-on-cheap-medical-imports-ustr-says-idUSKBN21I042 | date=March 30, 2020 | agency=Reuters| access-date=April 25, 2020}}

Lighthizer lives in Florida. His wife, Cathy, died in 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/meet-robert-lighthizer-the-man-who-could-decide-if-nafta-lives-ordies/article36752905/|title=Meet Robert Lighthizer: the man who could decide if NAFTA lives or dies|date=October 27, 2017|via=www.theglobeandmail.com}} He has two children, Robert and Claire, and three grandchildren.{{cite news |title=Robert E. Lighthizer |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/01/19/robewrt-e-lighthizer/6fe88a5f-aec9-4bba-95d0-2316db9617ca/ |author=Anne Swardson |newspaper=Washington Post |date=January 19, 1987|access-date=December 28, 2018}}

Lighthizer's brother, O. James Lighthizer, is an American Civil War expert. James Lighthizer was the president of the American Battlefield Trust, a battlefield preservation organization, and a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates.{{Cite web |url=https://www.civilwar.org/about/board-trustees|title=Board Of Trustees {{!}} Civil War Trust |website=Civilwar.org|access-date=September 19, 2017}}

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Category:1947 births

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