Michael Froman

Michael Froman

Prior offices

U.S. Trade Representative

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Education

High school

The Branson School

Bachelor's

Princeton University

Graduate

Oxford University

Law

Harvard University

Ph.D

Oxford University

Michael B.G. Froman was the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under the Obama administration. He was nominated by President Barack Obama on May 2, 2013, and he was confirmed by the Senate on June 19, 2013, by a vote of 93-4. He was sworn in on June 21, 2013, as the 17th person to serve in the position.

In a speech announcing Froman as his nominee for USTR, Obama said, "He's been a key negotiator alongside Ron Kirk on those trade agreements for South Korea, Colombia, and Panama, which support tens of thousands of American jobs. He has won the respect of our trading partners around the world. He has also won a reputation as being an extraordinarily tough negotiator while doing it. He does not rest until he’s delivered the best possible deal for American businesses and American workers. He’s fought to make sure that countries that break the rules are held accountable. And Mike believes, just as I believe and just as Penny [Pritzker] believes, that our workers are the most competitive in the world, so they deserve a level playing field. And Mike's going to continue to fight for that level playing field in his new role, as he helps to move forward trade negotiations with both the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, and will also continue to advise me on a broad range of economic issues."

Before serving as USTR, Froman served in the Obama administration as assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for international economic affairs.

Biography

Froman earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, a doctorate from Oxford University, and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Froman's professional and political career:

• 2013-2017: United States Trade Representative
• 2009-2013: Deputy Assistant to President Barack Obama
• 1999-2009: Managing Director for Citigroup Management Corp
• 1997-1999: Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of the Treasury
• 1993-1995: Director of International Economic Affairs for the National Economic Council
• 1993-1995: Director of International Economic Affairs for the National Security Council

Confirmation vote

Froman was confirmed by the Senate on June 19, 2013, by a vote of 93-4.

Michael Froman confirmation vote, June 19, 2013
Party	Votes for a	Votes against d	Total votes
Democrats	48	3	51
Republicans	44	0	44
Independents	1	1	2
Total Votes	93	4	97

Key initiatives

Executive Departments of the United States

Executive Departments Department of State • Department of the Treasury • Department of Defense • Department of Justice • Department of the Interior • Department of Agriculture • Department of Commerce • Department of Labor • Department of Health and Human Services • Department of Housing and Urban Development • Department of Transportation • Department of Energy • Department of Education • Department of Veterans Affairs • Department of Homeland Security

Department Secretaries Marco Rubio • Scott Bessent • Pete Hegseth • Pam Bondi • Doug Burgum • Brooke Rollins • Lori Chavez-DeRemer • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. • Scott Turner • Howard Lutnick • Sean Duffy • Chris Wright • Linda McMahon • Doug Collins • Kristi Noem

Froman's role

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative's website, "Ambassador Froman leads the Office of the United States Trade Representative in its work to open global markets for U.S. goods and services, enforce America’s rights in the global trading system, and foster development through trade. Key initiatives ongoing under his leadership are negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement in the Asia Pacific; the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union; negotiation of agreements on services, information technology and trade facilitation at the World Trade Organization; and monitoring and enforcement U.S. trade rights, including through the Interagency Trade and Enforcement Center (ITEC)."

Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: An overview

After more than five years of negotiations, Froman announced that the United States and 11 other countries signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal on February 4, 2016, calling it "an historic achievement for the Asia-Pacific region." Froman and President Barack Obama argued that the TPP would create new jobs by opening up foreign markets for exporting goods and set minimum standards for working conditions in the 11 other nations, leveling the playing field in the global market.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) "writes the rules for global trade" among the United States and 11 Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The purpose of the deal was to promote trade and strengthen the relationships between the 12 nations by reducing and eliminating tariffs, fostering competition, and creating greater opportunities for businesses. The countries involved also agreed to promote environmental protection practices and enforce laws protecting workers.

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the TPP proposed:

• Eliminating or reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers;
• Facilitating "the development of production and supply chains, and seamless trade;"
• Addressing "new trade challenges, ... including the development of the digital economy, and the role of state-owned enterprises in the global economy;"
• Helping "small- and medium-sized businesses" take advantage of regional trade; and
• Creating a platform to allow countries in the Asia-Pacific region to enter into the agreement in the future.

For more on the TPP, click here.

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

See also: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)

In July 2013, the United States and the European Union began negotiating a trade deal with the goal of encouraging global economic development by reducing regulatory barriers to trade and the cost of exporting goods and services. Negotiators had not produced a final agreement as of January 2017.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was largely overshadowed by the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). If negotiators could reach a deal it "would be the world's biggest bilateral trade and investment deal," according to the European Commission.

The specific contents of TTIP were not available for the public to view as negotiators continued to work on a final deal. The Office of the United States Trade Representative released the TTIP "Fact Sheet", which explained the basic goals of TTIP.

“

Further open EU markets, increasing the $458 billion in goods and private services the United States exported in 2012 to the EU, our largest export market. Strengthen rules-based investment to grow the world’s largest investment relationship. The United States and the EU already maintain a total of nearly $3.7 trillion in investment in each other’s economies (as of 2011). Eliminate all tariffs on trade. Tackle costly 'behind the border' non-tariff barriers that impede the flow of goods, including agricultural goods. Obtain improved market access on trade in services. Significantly reduce the cost of differences in regulations and standards by promoting greater compatibility, transparency, and cooperation, while maintaining our high levels of health, safety, and environmental protection. Develop rules, principles, and new modes of cooperation on issues of global concern, including intellectual property and market-based disciplines addressing state-owned enterprises and discriminatory localization barriers to trade. Promote the global competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

”

For more on TTIP, click here.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Froman and his wife, Nancy Goodman, have two children, Benjamin and Sarah.

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term Michael + Froman + Trade + Representative

Michael Froman News Feed

See also

• The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: An overview

External links

• Office of the United States Trade Representative
• Office of the United States Trade Representative on Twitter
• Office of the United States Trade Representative on Facebook

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Ron Kirk	U.S. Trade Representative 2013-2017	Succeeded by -