Is Tai too Nice to be Trade Chief?
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A congressional hearing on President Joe Biden’s trade policy got interesting Friday when U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai told a GOP lawmaker, “I don’t need your pity,” after he said she was “too nice” to negotiate trade deals for the United States. Tai appeared before the Republican-controlled House Ways and Means Committee to defend and talk about President Biden’s agenda on trade for 2023.
Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) told Tai that she was “very highly spoken of,” but then added, “I personally think you’re too nice a person for the job that you’re in.” Murphy continued: “I think you’re handicapped because of administrative folks that you have to report to, etc., that are handicapping you and your job. Negotiators are usually very, very tough, and sometimes mean people. They aren’t nice people like you are,” Murphy said. “If you look at what’s happened with us, we are absolutely handcuffing the United States,” he added, accusing the Democratic administration of focusing more on green energy while China expands its influence on the world’s fossil fuel sectors. “If you look at what we're doing to the United States, all we’re doing is giving the open door for China. And you're stuck. Personally, I feel sorry for you, you’re stuck in the middle of it. … It’s just an absolute frustration because you just see this country swirling down the drain because we're just so distracted with so many other different issues that China doesn’t give a damn about… they are just swarming over the rest of the world with influence,” Murphy said.
Tai responded that she had “never been faulted for being too nice.” Tai said, “I also don’t need you to feel sorry for me, so please don’t do that.” She added: “Well, let me just take off the nice a little bit. I don’t need your pity. I stand up for the American people. When I speak, people listen, because I represent the interests of the United States,” the trade adviser said.
The Ways and Means Committee hearing was the second in two days in which members of Congress expressed dissatisfaction with President Biden’s trade agenda, particularly the administration's unwillingness to seek market access with reduced tariffs.
