Senior Trade Officer Leaving the White House

Clete Willems, a senior trade official at the White House who actively participated in the US-China trade talks, leaves the Trump government.

Willems, deputy director of the National Economic Council, has been playing a key advisory role in the field of trade since the beginning of the administration.

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"It has been a great honor to serve the President at the White House over the past two years," Willems said in a statement released by the White House. "President Donald Trump's trade leadership has completely changed the global conversation and will lead to a freer, more equitable and more reciprocal international system."

Willems is the deputy director of the National Economic Council, Larry Kudlow, since last year. He replaced Everett Eissenstat, who left the White House in July and is now one of the leading executives of General Motors.

The departure of Willems results in a significant loss of commercial policy knowledge for the White House, given its role in defining the President's trade policy on China and his presence at major international meetings, such as the G-20. Earlier this month, he said that there remained "a lot of work to be done" in negotiations with Beijing.

"As my main international deputy, Clete has helped the President to change the global trade debate and make outstanding progress in negotiations with China, the EU, Korea and the reform of the international trading system. ", said Kudlow in a statement. He added that Willems had played a "key role" in the negotiations of Trump's new North American trade pact.

Prior to joining the administration, Willems was a senior counsel in the US Trade Representative's office. He has also served as Legal Counsel to the US Mission to the World Trade Organization and Legislative Director of the Office of Past President Paul Ryan.

Willems will leave the White House for work in the private sector. The White House has not indicated an exact date for the departure of Willems, nor specified to which company it would belong.

Kudlow said Willems' move was "to be able to spend time with his family of four."

Kelly Ann Shaw, Senior Director of International Trade, Investment and Development at the White House, will replace Willems, Kudlow said. Shaw has extensive experience in the trade. she was a trade lawyer for the House Ways and Means Committee and Associate Lawyer at the USTR.