International Trade Administration


The International Trade Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that promotes United States exports of nonagricultural U.S. goods and services.

Duties

The ITA's stated goals are to
  1. Provide practical information to help Americans select markets and products.
  2. Ensure that Americans have access to international markets as required by the U.S. trade agreements.
  3. Safeguard Americans from unfair competition from dumped and subsidized imports.

    Organization

ITA consists of three sub-units. These are: Industry and Analysis, Global Markets, and Enforcement and Compliance.
  • Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade
  • *Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade
  • *Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. Commercial Service
  • **Office of Strategic Planning
  • **Deputy Director General of the U.S. Commercial Service
  • ***Office of Foreign Service and Human Capital
  • ***Office of Budget
  • ***Business Information Technology Office
  • ***Office of Administrative Services
  • **Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Markets
  • ***Global Knowledge Center
  • ***SelectUSA
  • **Office of Domestic Operations
  • **Office of China
  • **Office of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
  • **Office of Asia
  • **Office of the Western Hemisphere
  • **Advocacy Center
  • *Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis
  • **Office of Manufacturing
  • ***Office of Transportation and Machinery
  • ***Office of Energy and Environment
  • ***Office of Health & Information Technology
  • **Office of Services
  • ***Office of Finance & Insurance Industries
  • ***Office of Digital Services Industries
  • ***Office of Supply Chain, Professional, & Business Services
  • **Office of Trade Policy and Analysis
  • ***Office of Trade & Economic Analysis
  • ***Office of Trade Negotiations & Analysis
  • ***Office of Standards & Investment Policy
  • ***Office of Intellectual Property Rights
  • **Office of Textiles, Consumer Goods, and Materials
  • ***Office of Consumer Goods
  • ***Office of Textiles & Apparel
  • ***Office of Materials Industries
  • **National Travel and Tourism Office
  • ***Office of Travel and Tourism Industries
  • **Office of Advisory Committees and Industry Outreach
  • **Office of Trade Programs and Strategic Partnerships
  • **Office of Planning, Coordination, and Management
  • **Trade Agreement Secretariat
  • *Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Enforcement and Compliance
  • **Office of Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties Operations
  • **Office of Policy and Negotiations
The U.S. Commercial Service, through its Strategic Corporate Partnership program, has Public Private Partnership agreements with 17 private organizations, including several banks, legal and regulatory organizations, transportation and shipping organizations, event organizers, trade risk service companies and the publisher of Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce, The ecommerce partner is the Federation of International Trade Associations under which the USCS contributes market research and other reports on GlobalTrade.net.

Leadership

The ITA was created on January 2, 1980, and is headed by the under secretary of commerce for international trade, the principal adviser to the secretary of commerce on American imports and exports. The under secretary is the head of the International Trade Administration within the Commerce Department.
The under secretary is appointed by the president of the United States with the consent of the United States Senate. Gilbert B. Kaplan was nominated by President Trump for the position of Under Secretary for International Trade on April 11, 2017, and confirmed by the Senate on March 13, 2018. Gilbert Kaplan left the position in late 2019. President Biden appointed Marisa Lago as undersecretary in 2021. As of 2025, the ITA is headed by Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade William Kimmitt, with Diane Farrell serving as Deputy Under Secretary.

Overview

The under secretary of commerce for international trade is the principal officer of the United States Department of Commerce charged with promoting American exports and assisting general international trade. As the Administrator of the International Trade Administration, the under secretary serves as a member of the Tourism Policy Council and the National Intellectual Property Council. The under secretary participates in the development of United States trade policy, identifies and resolves market access and compliance issues, administers American trade laws, and undertakes a range of trade promotion and trade advocacy efforts.
With the rank of under secretary, the USC is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule. Since January 2014, the annual rate of pay for Level III appointees is $167,000.

Reporting officials

Officials reporting to the USC include:
  • Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade
  • Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
  • Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Enforcement and Compliance
  • Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis

    List of under secretaries

NameAssumed officeLeft officeAppointed by
Robert E. Herzstein19801981Jimmy Carter
Lionel H. Olmer19811985Ronald Reagan
S. Bruce Smart19851987Ronald Reagan
W. Allen Moore19871989Ronald Reagan

J. Michael Farren		June 1989May 1992George H. W. Bush
Timothy Hauser May 19921993George H. W. Bush

Jeffrey Garten		19931995Bill Clinton

David Rothkopf 		19951996Bill Clinton
Timothy Hauser 19961996Bill Clinton

Stuart E. Eizenstat		April 1996June 6, 1997Bill Clinton
David L. Aaron19972000Bill Clinton
Robert LaRussa20002001Bill Clinton
Timothy Hauser 20012001George W. Bush
Grant D. Aldonas20012005George W. Bush
Rhonda Keenum 20252005George W. Bush
Timothy Hauser 20052005George W. Bush

Peter Lichtenbaum 		20052005George W. Bush

Frank Lavin		20052007George W. Bush
Michelle O'Neill 2007December 19, 2007George W. Bush

Christopher A. Padilla		December 19, 2007January 20, 2009George W. Bush

Frank Sanchez		March 29, 2010November 6, 2013Barack Obama

Kenneth E. Hyatt 		November 6, 2013June 4, 2014Barack Obama

Stefan M. Selig		June 4, 2014June 2016Barack Obama

Kenneth E. Hyatt 		June 2016March 20, 2018Barack Obama

Gilbert B. Kaplan		March 20, 2018September 19, 2019Donald Trump
Joseph C. Semsar October 2019January 20, 2021Donald Trump

Diane Farrell 		January 20, 2021December 28, 2021Joe Biden

Marisa Lago		December 28, 2021January 20, 2025Joe Biden

Trevor Kellogg 		January 20, 2025August 8, 2025Donald Trump

William Kimmitt		August 8, 2025IncumbentDonald Trump