The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is the head of the Office of the United States Trade Representative, an institution (agency) within the Executive Office of the President. The USTR holds a Cabinet-level position and the rank of Ambassador, serving as the President's principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson.
The office was created as the Office of the Special Trade Representative (STR) by the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. This creation addressed the inefficiency of having the Department of State handle trade diplomacy and aimed to better balance competing domestic and international interests in U.S. trade policy. The title was formally changed to U.S. Trade Representative by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1979 and Executive Order 12188 of the following year.
The USTR's mechanism involves developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing negotiations with other countries. A key function is the enforcement of U.S. trade laws, such as handling Section 301 complaints against unfair foreign trade practices. The USTR also prepares the annual Special 301 Report under Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974, which identifies countries that fail to provide adequate intellectual property protection.
The USTR connects to the U.S. Congress, particularly the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance, and coordinates policy with other agencies through the Trade Policy Committee (TPC). Recently, the USTR has been active in proposing new Section 301 tariffs, such as the proposed 10% to 12.5% ad valorem tariffs in June 2026 on imports from 59 countries and the European Union to address global forced labor enforcement shortfalls. While the core mandate remains, the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 further elevated the USTR's role in coordinating trade policy.