After first announcing his decision to step down in January, Ron Kirk departed his post as US Trade Representative on 15 March after four years in office.
His deputy Demetrios Marantis has taken over for the present time, although it remains unclear how long he will serve in this temporary role or whether he intends to run for the position permanently.
In a statement, Kirk affirmed his deputy’s suitability to take over his role, pointing to Marantis’ time in various other trade advisory positions prior to joining the US Trade Representative office in May 2009.
Kirk also praised Marantis’ performance as his deputy.
'Demetrios has been a leading voice for President Obama’s trade policies in Asia and Africa, and he has been instrumental in successes from the completion of the US-Korea trade agreement to the advancing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and beyond,' he said.
'I have valued Demetrios’s contributions and counsel during my time as US Trade Representative, and his expertise and leadership abilities will bolster this agency’s work for the American people and in the global trading community at this time of transition.'
Speculation over Kirk’s permanent successor is currently focused on the undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, Lael Brainard, and the assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for International Economic Affairs, Michael Froman.
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