Throughout his campaign and time as President-elect, Donald Trump has issued several proposals regarding the U.S. supply chain, from plans to raise tariffs up to 100% for certain countries to a complete restructuring of the global supply chain.
Mr. Trump has selected two men, Peter Navarro and Howard Lutnick, to lead his trade, manufacturing and tariff agenda.
On Dec. 4, Mr. Trump tapped Mr. Navarro as senior adviser on trade and manufacturing. Mr. Navarro has expressed support for sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports, according to a Dec. 4 report from The Wall Street Journal.
"His mission will be to help successfully advance and communicate the Trump Manufacturing, Tariff and Trade Agendas," Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Mr. Navarro was also a trade and manufacturing adviser during the first Trump term. He was known for being a proponent of "aggressive" trade moves, according to the report.
Mr. Navarro was working as a professor of business in California when he was first invited to join Mr. Trump's team. He previously worked as an economist and once ran for Congress as a Democrat. During Mr. Trump's first term, he was known for his tough-on-China trade stance.
In March, Mr. Navarro was sentenced to four months in jail for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Mr. Trump tapped Mr. Lutnick as his next commerce secretary, writing that Mr. Lutnick will "lead our tariff and trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative," according to a Nov. 19 NPR report.
Mr. Lutnick currently serves as a billionaire investor and veteran Wall Street CEO. He will be responsible for enforcing the tariffs that Mr. Trump has suggested throughout his campaign.
Mr. Lutnick is credited with rebuilding investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Mr. Trump named him co-chair of his transition team in August.
In 2001, Cantor Fitzgerald was headquartered near the top of the north tower of the World Trade Center and lost all 658 employees in the Sept. 11 attack. Cantor has several businesses, including a cryptocurrency operation.
Mr. Lutnick has previously donated to politicians of both parties, including Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.