Trump Nominates USTR Representative
'Tariff Hawk' Jamison Greer
Economic Team Ready for Trade War
Mexican President Signals Retaliation
China: "No Winners in Trade War"
As President-elect Donald Trump of the United States threatened a 'tariff bomb' against China, Mexico, and Canada, Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, hinted at retaliatory tariffs in response. With Trump adopting an 'America First' stance and applying tariff pressure, concerns are rising that global trade wars could escalate as affected countries impose countermeasures.
Jamieson Greer, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for the second term administration
Trump nominated Jamieson Greer, former chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer?who served as U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) during Trump's first term?to lead the USTR, completing an economic team ready to wage trade wars using tariffs alongside appointments for Treasury and Commerce secretaries. Greer is known as a 'hardline hawk' on trade policy and has also criticized South Korea's proposed platform law.
On the 26th (local time), President Sheinbaum stated, "If tariffs are imposed on one side, another tariff will be imposed in response, ultimately putting companies at risk." This effectively signaled Mexico's intention to impose retaliatory tariffs.
President Sheinbaum mentioned U.S. automobile companies with production bases in Mexico. She said, "Major Mexican exporters include General Motors (GM), Stellantis, and Ford, which entered the country 80 years ago," adding, "Why impose tariffs that would endanger them? That is unacceptable." She emphasized, "This will cause inflation and job losses in both the U.S. and Mexico."
This statement came a day after Trump announced plans to raise tariffs on Mexico, signaling a retaliatory response. On the previous day, Trump declared via his social media platform Truth Social that on January 20, the day of his inauguration, he would sign an executive order imposing an additional 10% tariff on China and 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada respectively. He criticized Mexico and Canada for inadequate measures against illegal immigration and China for being passive in cracking down on fentanyl distribution.
China also opposed Trump's tariff hike announcement. Liu Fengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., stated the day before, "No one can win a trade and tariff war." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, immediately after Trump's tariff threat, focused on finding common ground through a phone call with him.
As Trump forecasted, the top targets of the second-term administration's trade policy are the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and China. The three countries plan to review USMCA implementation in 2026, and ahead of this, Trump preemptively raised the pressure by announcing tariff increases on Mexico and Canada. Trump views USMCA as reducing U.S. manufacturing jobs and serving as a detour route for Chinese exports to the U.S.
Experts warn that while Trump's tariff strategy might serve as 'negotiation leverage' to resolve trade deficits and national security issues such as illegal immigration, if implemented, it could trigger a domino effect of retaliatory tariffs from trading partners, raising global trade barriers. This would lead to higher global inflation and lower growth rates.
Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy at Cornell University, said, "Trump's remarks clearly signal the start of American protectionism, which will draw many of America's trading partners into the same (protectionist) fold," adding, "Tariffs will have destructive effects not only on the U.S. but also on international trade."
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