Trump picks Greer as trade chief, Hassett for National Economic Council

US President-elect Donald Trump announced a slew of nominations Tuesday, including international trade lawyer Jamieson Greer to be his US trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council.

In announcing Greer’s nomination, Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers”.

Greer previously served as chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, Trump’s former trade representative who is deeply skeptical of free trade. Greet is currently a partner at the King & Spalding law firm in Washington.

If confirmed as trade representative, Greer would be responsible for negotiating directly with foreign governments on trade deals and disputes, as well as memberships in international trade bodies such as the World Trade Organization.

Trump vowed on Monday to impose duties of 25 per cent on imports from Mexico and Canada and 10 per cent on Chinese goods unless they halt flows of the deadly opioid fentanyl and illegal migrants into the US. The threat has drawn warnings of retaliation.