NEW YORK, NEW YORK, U.S. – President-elect Donald J. Trump on Jan. 3 said he intends to nominate Robert Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative. Lighthizer served under U.S. President Ronald Reagan as Deputy United States Trade Representative, playing a major role in developing trade policy for the Reagan administration and negotiating bilateral international agreements on a variety of topics, including grain.

In his new role, Lighthizer is expected to work in collaboration with Secretary of Commerce-designate Wilbur Ross and Peter Navarro, head of the newly created White House National Trade Council, to develop and implement policies that lower the U.S. trade deficit, expand economic growth, and strengthen the nation’s manufacturing base.

“Ambassador Lighthizer is going to do an outstanding job representing the United States as we fight for good trade deals that put the American worker first,” said President-elect Donald J. Trump. “He has extensive experience striking agreements that protect some of the most important sectors of our economy, and has repeatedly fought in the private sector to prevent bad deals from hurting Americans. He will do an amazing job helping turn around the failed trade policies which have robbed so many Americans of prosperity.”

Aside from his service in the Reagan administration, Lighthizer was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Senate Committee of Finance when Congress passed the Reagan program of tax cuts and spending reductions, and also aided in the passage of legislation that implemented the Tokyo Round of trade negotiations. He also has represented the United States at meetings of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and meetings related to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (the precursor to the World Trade Organization).

He also has been an outspoken commentator on trade issues, giving speeches and writing articles for The New York Times and other publications, as well as providing testimony to key congressional committees, the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission, and other government agencies with responsibility for trade policy.

He graduated from Georgetown University and the Georgetown University Law Center.