Katherine Tai
Bio | Katherine Tai is the appointed United States Trade Representative, chief counsel for the United States House Committee on Ways and Means, and attorney. Tai previously served in the Trade Representative’s Office of General Counsel, where she oversaw US-China trade, and worked for several law firms specializing in international trade. Tai earned a history degree from Yale, and later a Juris Doctor from Harvard. |
Status and Position | Current United States Trade Representative of White House Staff |
Political Party and Jurisdiction | Democrat, White House Staff |
Elections | Election Jurisdiction | Started Campaign | Campaign Status | Poll Rankings (of the vote) |
Campaign Financing | No campaign financing information is known. |
Voting Rights | No clear stance on issue. |
Opinions on Issues
Issues | Stance | Summary |
| Universal Healthcare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Socialized Healthcare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Private Healthcare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| LGBT Rights | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Taxes | Nuance | While she has not mentioned her views on taxes in other spheres of the economy, in terms of trade, Tai opposes the heavy taxation of imports, particularly from China, seeing this as a "defensive maneuver." Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/10/biden-to-name-katherine-tai-us-trade-representative.html |
| Flat Tax Rate | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Abortion | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Gun Control | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Assisted Suicide | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Government Interference | For | Tai supports government interference for the purpose of ensuring humane, ethical conduct particularly in the economy and in international relations. Source: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29289/can-katherine-tai-deliver-on-biden-s-middle-class-trade-agenda, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/12/09/biden-selects-katherine-tai-us-trade-representative/, https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/katherine-tais-values-are-working-peoples-values |
| Planned Parenthood | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Welfare | For | Tai has advocated for the protection of labor rights through her role as trade counsel for the House Committee of Ways and Means, namely in the development of the USMCA. Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/12/09/biden-selects-katherine-tai-us-trade-representative/, https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/katherine-tais-values-are-working-peoples-values Tai pushed for stronger labor provisions in her negotiations with President Trump over the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and helped to eliminate benefits for the pharmeceutical industry from being included in the agreement. She is committed to protecting the interest of working Americans and has been endorsed by the Communications Workers of America for her efforts. Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/12/09/biden-selects-katherine-tai-us-trade-representative/, https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/katherine-tais-values-are-working-peoples-values, https://www.voanews.com/usa/bidens-trade-representative-expected-be-assertive-china |
| Welfare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Death Penalty | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Mandatory Prison Sentence | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Military Spending | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| War on Terrorism | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Foreign Policy International Interaction | For | Tai has advocated for an "offensive" strategy to international trade relations and has also placed working-class concerns at the center of her foreign policy. Source: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29289/can-katherine-tai-deliver-on-biden-s-middle-class-trade-agenda, https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-trade-policy-to-center-on-workers-ustr-nominee-says-11610471141 Tai has criticized Lighthizer's "defensive" tactics like imposing tarrifs on imports, rather than adopting an "offensive" strategy which deliberately seeks to strength the US economy and trade power. Tai has also stated that working-class concerns at the center of her focus in terms of international trade policy, and has shown this through her advocacy for labor protections. Source: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29289/can-katherine-tai-deliver-on-biden-s-middle-class-trade-agenda, https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-trade-policy-to-center-on-workers-ustr-nominee-says-11610471141 |
| United Nations power | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Nationalism | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Free Markets | Nuance | While Tai has not expressed opposition to the free market, capitalist system, she does believe certain regulations should be in place to make the economy as ethical and fair as possible, as seen through her USMCA negotiations. Source: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29289/can-katherine-tai-deliver-on-biden-s-middle-class-trade-agenda Tai pushed strongly for labor rights and working class interests in her negotiations with the Trump Administration over the USMCA, and also sought to remove corporate benefits from being included in the final deal. Source: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29289/can-katherine-tai-deliver-on-biden-s-middle-class-trade-agenda |
| Brexit | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Affirmative Action | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Government Spending | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Charter Schools | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Common Core | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Clean Energy | Nuance | Although she has not made any explicit statements on the role of clean energy in her role as trade representative, Tai has been endorsed by the Sierra Club for her work in negotiating international trade deals. Source: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/01/sierra-club-applauds-katherine-tai-s-nomination-us-trade-representative The Sierra Club released a statement of approval following Tai's appointment, saying that "Katherine Tai has spent years working to change the status quo model of trade that helps corporate polluters shift jobs and emissions to countries with weaker standards. Katherine’s leadership as U.S. Trade Representative would equip the U.S. to establish a new, climate-friendly trade model that supports a just economic recovery, racial equity, and climate action." Source: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2021/01/sierra-club-applauds-katherine-tai-s-nomination-us-trade-representative |
| Religious Freedom | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Separation of Church and State | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Slavery Reparations | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Border Control | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Passenger Profiling | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| DACA | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Sanctuary Cities | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Legalizing Marijuana | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |