Oklahoma senator meets with Trump’s trade nominee
Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford said Thursday that he will support President Donald Trump’s nominee, Robert Lighthizer, to be the U.S. trade representative.
A spokesman for Lankford said the endorsement came the same day Lankford met with Lighthizer at the Capitol.
In January, then Presidentelect Donald Trump announced Lighthizer as his nominee to be the country’s top trade representative.
Observers consider Lighthizer experienced in the field, as he was a deputy U.S. trade representative under President Ronald Reagan.
On Thursday, Lankford said he remains committed to ensuring Oklahomans are able to export goods to other countries, noting trade is an essential part of Oklahoma's economy with an annual worth of nearly $2 billion.
“We must continue to expand exports and market access for our nation’s agricultural industry,” Lankford said.
“We must also leverage our economy in trade negotiations to export our values and promote human rights with
potential trading partners,” he said, noting an amendment he added to the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015. Lankford’s amendment requires U.S. trade negotiators to consider potential trading partners’ religious freedom conditions during negotiations.
“I believe that Mr. Lighthizer is committed to ensuring U.S. trade policy does not overlook the vital role that Oklahoma production plays at the global level,” Lankford said. “In the days ahead, I hope the Trump Administration will aggressively pursue bilateral trade agreements that benefit our state and the nation’s future.”
Trump has opposed the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, but has said he would ink oneon-one trade deals with individual countries. The president also has signaled he wants a tough stance on trade with China, including levying a hefty tariff on Chinese imports.
When announcing Lighthizer, Trump said his nominee had struck deals to protect some of the nation’s most important economic sectors and expressed confidence he would get future deals that would “put the American worker first.”
Lighthizer recently has worked on trade issues representing manufacturing, agricultural and hightech companies, according to his law firm biography. Lighthizer’s bio also states he focused on “marketopening trade actions on behalf of U.S. companies seeking access to foreign markets.”
Lighthizer has declared his allegiance to Trump’s approach on trade, saying he is committed to Trump’s “mission to level the playing field for American workers and forge better trade policies which will benefit all Americans.”