The US Senate confirms the trade representative of President Donald Trump, shortly before the application of tariffs to Canada and Mexico in April.
The United States Senate confirmed Jamieson Greer on Wednesday as a trade representative, fully establishing the veteran of the commercial wars of the first mandate of Donald Trump in the position only days of the deadline of March 4 to punish with 25 % tariffs the imports of Canada and Mexico.
The Senate voted 56-43 to confirm Greer, a Washington commercial lawyer who served as chief of former commercial chief Robert Lighthizer. Five Democrats supported their appointment.
Greer will assume the position at a time when Mexican and Canadian officials work to persuade Trump's government that their efforts to ensure US borders are working, and thus stop the entry of migrants, fentanyl and the chemical precursors of the mortal opioid.
Trump initially threatened the tariffs by declaring a national emergency on February 1 on immigration and fentanyl under the International Emergency Emergency Powers Law, and used the same rule to punish China with 10% tariffs for the fentanyl trade.
Trump's tariff measures have multiplied, including an increase to steel of up to 25 % by revocation of exemptions and aluminum, which would enter into force on March 12 and would mainly affect Canada and Mexico.
On Wednesday, Trump said during his first cabinet meeting that the new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will enter into force on April 2, this is approximately one month after the previous deadline so that the taxes will begin to be applied ..
Greer comes to help lead a Trump effort to determine “reciprocal” higher “reciprocal” reciprocal tariffs to match the import rights of other countries and compensate for non -tariff commercial barriers.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for more details about Trump's comments.
(With Reuters information)