The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is an institution of the U.S. federal government, specifically a subdivision of the Executive Office of the President. It is responsible for developing, coordinating, and promoting U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy. The USTR was originally established as the Office of the Special Trade Representative (STR) by the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Its creation was intended to centralize and coordinate U.S. trade policy, which Congress felt was being overlooked under the State Department's historical lead. The office was formally established as an agency by the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2171), which also elevated the position to Cabinet-level status.
The USTR works by serving as the President's principal advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade matters, leading trade negotiations at bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels. A key mechanism it uses is Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. § 2411), which authorizes the USTR to investigate and take action, including imposing tariffs, against foreign government acts, policies, or practices that are unjustified, unreasonable, or discriminatory and burden U.S. commerce. The USTR also coordinates trade policy with other government agencies through interagency bodies like the Trade Policy Committee (TPC).
The USTR connects directly to the World Trade Organization (WTO), where it handles trade disputes and negotiations. It also administers trade preference programs like the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which allows certain imports from developing countries to enter the U.S. duty-free. Recently, the USTR has been actively using its authority under Section 301 to initiate investigations, such as one announced on June 18, 2026, against Germany regarding pharmaceutical pricing. Furthermore, the USTR has proposed new Section 301 tariffs on products from 60 economies in connection with investigations into the enforcement of forced labor import prohibitions, demonstrating a recent shift toward using this mechanism to address a broader range of trade concerns.