The past week has marked a surge in activity for United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer as global trade tensions escalate ahead of a looming tariff deadline. The White House, pursuing a reciprocal tariff policy directed by President Donald Trump, is preparing to implement sweeping new rates on imports from dozens of countries effective August first. Notably, the United States announced a 35 percent tariff on goods from Canada, a 25 percent tariff on Japanese products, and a 50 percent duty on imports from Brazil. These changes come after months of negotiation and have intensified as leaders from the BRICS bloc met in Rio de Janeiro, prompting President Trump to threaten an additional ten percent tariff on countries aligning with BRICS economic strategies.
Amid these developments, Jamieson Greer has played a central diplomatic and strategic role. He was directly involved in recent bilateral talks with South Korean officials, as reported by the Korea Herald and Bloomberg, even as a high-level two plus two trade meeting between South Korea and the United States was postponed due to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s schedule. Despite the delay, South Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo continued separate meetings with Greer in Washington to try to avert the thirty percent tariffs set to take effect on Korean exports August first.
In the days leading up to the deadline, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, led by Greer, also initiated a Section three zero one investigation into Brazil’s trade practices. According to the National Law Review and ArentFox Schiff, this unprecedented move under Greer’s leadership targets Brazilian policies on digital trade, market access, preferential tariffs, intellectual property, and environmental issues. The process includes a public comment period and a hearing set for late August, signaling a tough stance if Brazilian practices are found to be restrictive or discriminatory against American commerce.
Meanwhile, the United States has reached a new trade agreement framework with Indonesia that pegs future tariffs at nineteen percent for Indonesian goods—crucially lower than the thirty-two percent rate initially slated for August first. Negotiators also established tough rules to limit the transshipment of goods from non-market economies such as China and committed to further cooperation on market fairness, supply chain resilience, and export controls. Deals have also been struck with the Philippines, Vietnam, and most recently Japan, which agreed to a fifteen percent tariff—down from the threatened twenty-five percent—after making concessions on market access.
In addition, Greer and the trade office are under pressure from lawmakers at home. Utah Representatives Maloy and Owens sent a letter this week urging Greer to set new quotas on lamb meat imports from Australia and New Zealand to stave off further harm to American sheep producers, after the U.S. lamb market experienced a surge in imports and a collapse in domestic production.
Senators and industry groups are noting Greer’s efforts to ensure foreign nations, especially those seen as “free riders,” pay their share of the economic burden, as outlined in a recent joint statement with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
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