“Exports and enforcement, that’s what we have to do,” Lighthizer said.

But he also departed from the views of Trump and one of his main trade advisers, Peter Navarro, by downplaying the focus on the U.S. trade deficit and acknowledging the benefits for United States producers of some trade agreements that President Trump has harshly criticized.

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On the campaign trail, Trump promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and carry out crack down on trade violations from competitors and allies alike. Once in office, he quickly withdrew the U.S. from the embattled Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-country free trade deal negotiated by the Obama administration.

“From this moment on, it's going to be America First,” Trump said during his inauguration speech. “We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.”

The administration has not yet notified Congress of its intent to renegotiate NAFTA, which would officially begin consultations between the Congress and the administration on the deal. It has also not followed through on campaign promises to label China a currency manipulator on Day One.

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If confirmed, Lighthizer could be asked to play a leading role in accomplishing these goals. Yet his statements in the hearing on Tuesday suggested that Lighthizer, a former deputy USTR under President Reagan, could prove to be a moderating force.

While Trump has called the TPP “insanity” and “a disaster,” Lighthizer praised the work of Obama trade representative Michael Froman on the deal and suggested that the Pacific trade deal could serve as a template for NAFTA renegotiations.

“I think Ambassador Froman did a remarkable job in a variety of areas, and I think we should take advantage of that work,” he said.

He also appeared to disagree with Trump and Navarro’s harsh criticism of U.S. trade deficits, which result when the U.S. imports more from other countries than it exports. While most economists say the trade deficit is a poor metric of success, Trump and Navarro have targeted the measure as evidence that the United States is losing to trade partners.

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In the hearing, Lighthizer struck a much more moderate tone that is likely to be palatable to the free-traders that traditionally make up the Republican Party. “Our objective is not just to get the trade deficit down, our objective is to get more efficiency in the market,” he said. “Everybody wins, and the U.S. producers really win, to the extent we can break down trade barriers.”

Lighthizer acknowledged the benefits of the NAFTA agreement to U.S. farmers, oil producers and others, even as he said the administration had not yet decided whether it would renegotiate NAFTA as one agreement among Canada, Mexico and the United States, or as two separate agreements with the individual countries.

He also punted on question of whether China is holding down its currency to stimulate its exports, a claim that Trump frequently made on the campaign trail but with which most economists disagree. “In the past, it is my judgment that China was a substantial currency manipulator,” he said. “Whether China is manipulating the currency right now to weaken it is another question. That’s up to the Treasury Secretary.”

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In his remarks, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), called Lighthizer “indisputably qualified” and said he has a “strong base of bipartisan support.” Lighthizer’s track record of trade enforcement and protectionism has proved palatable on both the right and the left, and he faces more bipartisan consensus than many Trump nominees.

Yet his nomination has been delayed due in part to claims by that Lighthizer needs to obtain a waiver for some of his past work before he be officially appointed to his post. A 1995 law prohibits anyone who has directly represented a foreign entity in a trade negotiation or trade dispute in from serving as U.S. Trade Representative. In the 1980s and 1990s, Lighthizer represented a Brazilian sugar and alcohol group tied to the government, as well as a Chinese chamber of commerce.

Lighthizer and Republicans have argued that a waiver is not necessary. Democrats insist that it is, but that they will work with Republicans to provide an exception.