This is from Inside US Trade:
Dan DiMicco, former chief executive of steel producer Nucor and senior trade adviser for President-elect Donald Trump's campaign, will lead the Trump administration's transition efforts for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, according to a document obtained by Inside U.S. Trade.
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DiMicco's role of managing the USTR transition falls under that category, along with other agencies, according to a chart laying out the structure of Trump's transition team by agency.
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During the campaign, DiMicco -- much like Trump -- said trade agreements like NAFTA eliminated jobs and hollowed out the American manufacturing base. He also has blasted China for dumping steel into global markets and allegedly manipulating its currency.
One source said that heads of agency transitions have a higher chance of being nominated for the analogous cabinet position once the new president is sworn in, and that DiMicco would likely be interested and willing to serve as USTR in a Trump administration.
One of DiMicco's big issues is the use of a VAT by some countries, which he views as unfair for the following reasons:
In addition, Mr DiMicco cited Team Trump’s concerns about firms that export goods from Mexico to America enjoying an unfair advantage when the Mexican government rebates value-added taxes paid to Mexican suppliers. American firms enjoy no such tax refunds from American authorities, which collect revenues from corporate income. “One thing that will be dealt with is border adjustment taxes,” Mr DiMicco said. “That’s not something we will allow to continue.”
Some of you may recall that I had a twitter exchange with DiMicco on this very issue.
There are two things I don't understand here. First, why does he keep citing this as a NAFTA/Mexico issue? I would have thought it was a bigger deal in other countries. If there is a concern here, why not try to deal with it at the WTO?
And second, what is the proposed solution? I am going to try to take the Trump trade proposals seriously, but I don't understand what they have in mind.