Economics

Trump Trade Czar Eyes Exit Hailing Tariff Power His Critics Hate

Lighthizer disputes consensus tariffs hurt more than helped
In an interview, he says economic doomsayers were proven wrong

Robert Lighthizer speaks during the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Jan. 29, 2020.Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

How easy or hard was it to use Bloomberg.com today?

Share feedback

Have a confidential tip for our reporters? Get in Touch

Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal

LEARN MORE

By Shawn Donnan

December 22, 2020 at 8:00 PM UTC

Updated on

December 23, 2020 at 8:41 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Robert Lighthizer has built a career on being a wily contrarian.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that President Donald Trump’s trade czar is going out tilting at a consensus among mainstream economists that Trump’s signature policies -- his tariffs on billions in imports from China and steel from around the world -- have been a failure by most metrics.

Have a confidential tip for our reporters? Get in Touch

Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal

LEARN MORE