The Senate has confirmed wealthy financier Howard Lutnick as the new commerce secretary, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump's hardline trade policies. Lutnick, former CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, will now oversee 50,000 employees at the Commerce Department, responsible for tasks ranging from collecting economic statistics to managing the census and issuing weather reports.
One of Lutnick's primary responsibilities will be to work alongside Jamieson Greer, Trump's nominee for the top U.S. trade negotiator, in implementing the president's aggressive plans to impose import taxes on U.S. trading partners, including both allies and adversaries.
