Ep. 38 – WITA’s Friday Exchange: The Cost of Chaos: Tariffs, Tactics, and is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?
Watch or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Former Trade Negotiators Discuss This Week’s Tariff and Trade Developments.
No one understands the dynamics with key U.S. trading partners better than the people who led these kinds of difficult trade negotiations for the United States. Panelists will update our viewers on the trade policy announcements, what remains undone; and what are expected next steps in these trade negotiations.
In the latest episode of the Friday Exchange, our trade insiders bring the heat! This week’s episode goes beyond a recap, it’s a full-on debate about the future of U.S. trade policy. Is Washington playing a high-stakes game to rebuild supply chains and outmaneuver non-market economies, or is it simply overplaying its hand?
We also explore the ripple effects: smaller companies feeling pressure, investors weighing uncertainty, and the challenge of navigating overlapping tariffs and evolving policies. At the same time, we look at pockets of progress from targeted negotiations and efforts to strengthen domestic capacity and supply chain resilience.
In a trade environment defined by uncertainty, urgency, and high political stakes, one question looms large: Is this strategy worth the cost?
Featured Speakers:
Blake Harden
Managing Director; former Trade Counsel on the House Ways & Means Committee; and a former Senior Attorney in the Office of the Chief Counsel at US Customs and Border Protection
Washington Council Ernst & Young
Blake guides clients through trade policy complexities, helping them anticipate challenges and seize opportunities in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Previously, Blake spent more than five years as vice president for international trade at a large trade association, where she developed and executed the organization’s trade strategy and advocacy efforts. Before that, she served as Trade Counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, contributing to major legislative achievements and leading several bipartisan trade and customs bills. Earlier in her career, Blake spent a decade with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Chief Counsel, advising on legal and regulatory issues.
Blake brings a collaborative approach to solving complex trade challenges, grounded in policy knowledge and trusted relationships built over nearly two decades of public service and advocacy.
Blake holds a BA from Michigan State University and a JD from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
Daniel Mullaney
Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Atlantic Council
Daniel Mullaney is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and GeoEconomics Center. Most recently, he served as assistant US trade representative (AUSTR) for Europe and the Middle East in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) from 2010 to 2023. He was chief negotiator for comprehensive trade agreements with the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom, as well as trade lead for the US-EU Trade and Technology Council, and was responsible for developing and implementing US trade policy in Europe, Eurasia, Russia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Before assuming the post of AUSTR, he served as senior trade representative in the US Mission to the European Union in Brussels, where he was the principal voice for US trade policy in interactions with the EU institutions and EU member state governments, the public, and the international press. Prior to that posting, Mullaney was in USTR’s Office of General Counsel for seven years, where he represented the United States in dispute settlement proceedings at the World Trade Organization and led negotiations and acted as legal counsel for free trade and other agreements. Before joining USTR, Mullaney was in private practice for nearly twenty years, specializing in international trade law and litigation; when he entered public service, he was a partner at the law firm of Dorsey and Whitney.
Mullaney is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a BA from Amherst College, and a joint law/foreign service JD/MSFS degree from Georgetown University.
Chris Padilla
Senior Advisor
Brunswick Group
Christopher Padilla is a Senior Advisor based in Brunswick’s Washington, DC office. He brings senior experience from decades spent in government policy and corporate roles, and practical perspective from his time as a supply chain practitioner. He has championed advocacy efforts on trade, tariffs, and tax policy at the highest levels of government worldwide.
Previously, Padilla led global government and regulatory affairs for IBM Corporation for 15 years. He oversaw a team of advocacy professionals in 36 countries, and trade and sanctions compliance for IBM’s global operations.
Before IBM, Padilla held senior roles in the Commerce Department. The President twice appointed him to Senate-confirmed positions, as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, and as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration. He also held roles as an Assistant United States Trade Representative, a Senior Advisor at the Department of State, and as a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
Earlier, he spent 15 years in marketing, business development, and international trade relations roles at AT&T and Eastman Kodak Company. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in international economics from Johns Hopkins University.
Stephen Vaughn
Partner, International Trade
King & Spalding LLP
Stephen P. Vaughn is a Partner in the International Trade Team of King & Spalding, where he works primarily on international trade litigation and policy matters. In April 2019, Vaughn completed more than two years of service as General Counsel for the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), where he managed a team of government attorneys representing U.S. interests in both trade negotiations and trade litigation. During two months in early 2017, he also served as acting U.S. Trade Representative.
Vaughn is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on current U.S. trade policy, as well as one of the most talented U.S. trade remedy litigators. He is recognized as a leading practitioner in Trade Remedies and Trade Policy by Legal 500 U.S., Chambers USA, and Chambers Global. He was named a 2024 Client Service All-Star by BTI Consulting and one of Washingtonian’s 500 Most Influential People Shaping Policy in 2025.
