Trump is starting to assemble his top team after winning Tuesday’s election. Lighthizer had pushed for a different role, as commerce secretary, the FT said.
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Thursday, Trump announced that he had chosen Susie Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, as White House chief of staff.
Trump intends to push forward the aggressive trade agenda of his first term with widespread 10% tariffs on imported goods and even higher levies on imports from China and other countries. If enacted, they would raise consumer prices.
The main envoy of China warned the United States Thursday that there are no winners in tariff or trade wars, nor in wars over science and technology or industry.
