Robert Lighthizer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Lighthizer
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 18th United States Trade Representative | |
| In office May 15, 2017 – January 20, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Jeffrey Gerrish C.J. Mahoney Dennis Shea |
| Preceded by | Michael Froman |
| Succeeded by | Katherine Tai |
| 1st United States Deputy Trade Representative | |
| In office April 15, 1983 – August 16, 1985 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Alan Woods |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Emmet Lighthizer
October 11, 1947 Ashtabula, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA, JD) |
Robert Emmet Lighthizer (born October 11, 1947) is an American lawyer and government official. He served as the U.S. Trade Representative for President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021. This role involves managing trade deals and policies between the United States and other countries.
After finishing law school in 1973, Lighthizer worked as a lawyer in Washington, D.C. He later joined the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, helping with important financial decisions. In 1983, he became the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for President Ronald Reagan.
Lighthizer then worked as a lawyer specializing in international trade for over 30 years. In 2017, President Trump chose him to be the U.S. Trade Representative. He was approved by the Senate and started his role in May 2017.
During his time as Trade Representative, Lighthizer was a key person in shaping America's trade rules. He believed in protecting American manufacturing and jobs. He played a big part in changing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and in trade discussions with China.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Robert Lighthizer was born on October 11, 1947, in Ashtabula, Ohio. His father was a doctor there. Robert went to Gilmour Academy for high school.
He then attended Georgetown University. He earned his first degree in 1969 and later his law degree in 1973.
Career Highlights
After law school, Lighthizer began his career as a lawyer in Washington, D.C. In 1978, he started working for Senator Bob Dole. Senator Dole was a very important leader in the United States Senate Committee on Finance.
When Senator Dole became the head of the committee in 1981, Lighthizer became his chief of staff. In this role, he helped with major changes to tax laws and Social Security during President Ronald Reagan's time.
Serving as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative
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In 1983, President Ronald Reagan nominated Lighthizer to be the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. This job meant he helped manage trade relationships for the country. During this time, Lighthizer worked on more than 20 international trade agreements. These agreements covered important goods like steel, cars, and farm products.
Working in Private Law
In 1985, Lighthizer joined a large law firm called Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. He became a partner and led their international trade team. For over 30 years, he helped American businesses and workers with trade issues. He worked to open new markets for U.S. products and protect American industries from unfair trade practices. He was especially known for defending the steel industry.
Lighthizer also helped with Senator Bob Dole's presidential campaigns in 1988 and 1996.
Becoming U.S. Trade Representative (2017–2021)
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On January 3, 2017, Donald Trump announced his plan to nominate Lighthizer as the U.S. Trade Representative. This is a very important position, part of the President's main team.
At his hearing to be approved for the job, Lighthizer was introduced by Senator Bob Dole. Other senators also spoke highly of him, noting his history of supporting American businesses and workers.
On April 25, 2017, a Senate committee approved his nomination. The full Senate then voted on May 11, 2017, and approved him by a large margin. He officially started his role on May 15, 2017.
Soon after, Lighthizer announced that President Trump wanted to renegotiate NAFTA. This was a big step, as it was the first time a U.S. Trade Representative had tried to change a major U.S. free trade agreement.
Lighthizer became one of the most important officials in the Trump administration. He led the way in creating the country's trade policies. He played a key role in changing NAFTA and in the trade discussions with China.
Key Policy Ideas
Robert Lighthizer has clear ideas about how trade should work.
Tariffs and American Industry
Lighthizer believes that using tariffs can help American industries. Tariffs are taxes on goods imported from other countries. He thinks these taxes can help balance trade and bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. He has said that protecting American businesses is a long-standing idea for his political party.
Trade Agreements
Lighthizer believes a good trade agreement should balance economic safety, efficiency, and the needs of working people. He called the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), which he helped negotiate, a "model deal." He also thinks that countries should choose between having many small trade deals or one big global system, as they can conflict.
Trade with China
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Lighthizer has long been cautious about trade with China. He has accused China of unfair trade practices. He believes China needs to make big, lasting changes to its trade policies. He has argued that allowing China to unfairly control trade does not help markets work better.
In 1997, he wrote that the U.S. should not let China join the World Trade Organization (WTO). He also suggested that the U.S. should challenge China more often when it doesn't follow WTO rules. In 2020, he called for changes to the WTO itself.
Supporting Domestic Manufacturing
In March 2020, during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lighthizer said that the United States needed to make more of its own medical supplies. He believed the country should rely less on other countries for important goods.
Personal Life
Robert Lighthizer lives in Florida. His wife, Cathy, passed away in 2014. He has two children, Robert and Claire, and three grandchildren.
His brother, O. James Lighthizer, is an expert on the American Civil War. James Lighthizer used to be the president of the American Battlefield Trust, an organization that works to save historic battlefields.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Lighthizer para niños
