Senate confirms Howard Lutnick as Commerce secretary

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Howard Lutnick to serve as Commerce secretary, approving a key member of President Trump’s economic team amid rising trade tensions.

Senators voted 51-45 in favor of Lutnick’s confirmation to lead the Commerce Department, which has broad authority over U.S. trade, shipping, infrastructure, telecommunications, environmental monitoring and intellectual property.

Lutnick, the CEO of Wall Street investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, co-chaired the Trump administration transition process after the president’s stunning reelection. He was widely expected to be confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate, which advanced his nomination last week by a vote of 52-45.

Lutnick will play a central role in Trump’s trade agenda, as the president threatens tariffs against a wide range of trading partners, including key allies such as Canada and Mexico.

While the scope and scale of Trump’s tariffs fall to the president, the Commerce Department is in charge of implementing new import taxes and approving requests for exemptions. Lutnick will also oversee the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the agency responsible for implementing import and export bans, along with other national security-related trade rules.

The BIS will likely play a central role in the Trump administration’s push to crack down on the use of U.S. technology and services by Chinese artificial intelligence firms, which Lutnick highlighted during his confirmation hearing.