CNN
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President-elect Donald Trump announced Jamieson Greer as his choice to be the next U.S. trade representative.

Greer is no stranger to the role, having served as chief of staff to Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer during Trump’s first term. At that time, the administration imposed blanket tariffs against China and other countries and signed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Trump has regularly cited the passage of the USMCA trade agreement, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as a political victory and the highlight of his presidency.

“Jamieson will focus the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on containing the country’s massive trade deficit, defending America’s manufacturing, agriculture and services, and opening export markets everywhere,” Trump said in a Tuesday announcement Greer praised him as having “played” during my first term, playing a key role in imposing tariffs against China and other countries to combat unfair trade practices and in replacing the failed NAFTA agreement with USMCA, making it more difficult for American workers got a lot better.”

If confirmed by the Senate, Greer will take on the role as Trump is expected to pursue an ambitious trade agenda.

Since his election victory, Trump has already promised to impose new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China on his first day in office – until, as he said, the countries stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs across the border.

During the campaign, Trump repeatedly said he would impose tariffs of either 10% or 20% on all imports entering the United States, as well as a tariff of more than 60% on all Chinese imports.

The president-elect has described tariffs as a versatile tool that can punish other countries for unfair trade practices, boost American manufacturing and bring in billions of dollars to finance the expansion of tax cuts he signed during his first administration.

The threat of tariffs could also be used as a negotiating tactic, as Trump has promised to renegotiate the USMCA.

Speaking about other countries’ trade and tax policies, Greer told the New York Times in June, “When you level the playing field, it ensures that Americans don’t have to compete unfairly.”

According to his company bio, he most recently worked as a partner in the international commercial team at the law firm King & Spalding. In this role, he handled cases involving trade policy and trade agreement enforcement.

He previously focused his private practice on commercial matters and served in the U.S. Air Force’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps, during which time he was stationed in Iraq, according to his biography.