Susan Schwab is the new United States Trade Representative, previously serving as deputy USTR. Rob Portman is moving to OMB.

Drezner opines that this is bad for negotiations: “Bush and Bolten have decided to switch teams at USTR in the weeks before various deadlines for the Doha round of trade talks come up. This is a bad, bad sign for the likelihood of those negotiations to succeed.” According to the FT, “the appointment of Ms Schwab… was intended to send a signal of continuity, US officials said on Tuesday.”

I have no idea if the switch will have an impact at the negotiating table.