Former U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai Launches First Public Initiative Since Leaving Office to Challenge Washington’s Trade Status Quo
The Coalition for New Trade to Launch Feb. 26, Marking the Start of an Effort to Bridge
the Gap Between Policy Roundtables and Everyday Kitchen Tables
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai today announced the launch of the Coalition for New Trade, her first public initiative since leaving the Biden administration. The new coalition will formally launch on February 26 and marks the beginning of an effort to bridge the gap between policy roundtables and kitchen tables, reshaping how trade policy is discussed, understood, and built in the United States.
The Coalition for New Trade is founded on a simple premise: trade policy is not an abstract economic exercise: it shapes jobs, wages, prices, supply chains, and the dignity of work in communities across the country, and around the world. Rather than focusing inside Washington, the Coalition will engage workers, small businesses, manufacturers, family farmers, and community leaders to ensure trade decisions are informed by actual experience, not trickle-down economic theory.
“Trade is not about spreadsheets or political talking points, it’s about people,” said Ambassador Katherine Tai. “For too long, Washington has measured trade success by growth that benefits the biggest players, while ignoring what it takes for ordinary people to make ends meet. Americans have grown more productive, but their wages have not kept pace, and communities have felt the consequences. That approach did not work for enough people, and neither does the chaos of the current moment. The Coalition for New Trade is about building trade policy with communities, not imposing it on them. Our commitment is to ensure that economic gains translate into a better life for people and their families.”
The February 26 launch event will mark the public beginning of the Coalition’s work to build a new trade and economic alliance rooted in shared prosperity, dignity of work, and community leadership.
The Coalition for New Trade is launching in partnership with Main Street Alliance, a national network of small businesses working to give Main Street a fair shot in the economy.
Launch Event for Media
Members of the press are invited to attend the launch event:
February 26, 2026, at 5:30 PM
Busboys and Poets (14th & V St NW, Washington, DC 20009)
Ambassador Katherine Tai and senior leadership from the Coalition for New Trade will be available for brief media interviews at the event.
For reporters unable to attend in person, a virtual RSVP option is available upon request.
Members of the press may inquire about media availability or request the virtual RSVP link by contacting: press@coalitionfornewtrade.org
About the Coalition for New Trade
The Coalition for New Trade is dedicated to making trade policy understandable, relevant, and responsive in the lived experiences of workers, small businesses, producers, consumers, and communities. The Coalition seeks to bridge the gap between national trade debates and everyday economic realities, building a broader and more inclusive coalition to shape the future of U.S. and international trade policy.
