Jeffrey Kessler

Jeffrey Kessler was sworn in as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security on March 13, 2025. In this role, Mr. Kessler is responsible for U.S. export controls, technology restrictions, and Section 232 investigations – all with the goal of strengthening U.S. technological leadership and supply chains and revitalizing U.S. industry, while keeping advanced technologies out of the hands of America’s adversaries. 

During the first Trump Administration, Mr. Kessler served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Enforcement and Compliance, charged with leveling the playing field for American businesses and workers. Mr. Kessler played a key role in the first Trump Administration’s aggressive actions to make trade fair and reciprocal, including with respect to countervailing foreign currency undervaluation, monitoring steel and aluminum imports, and cracking down on circumvention.

Before his appointment as Under Secretary, Mr. Kessler was a partner at a global law firm, where he advised clients on navigating the complex and dynamic landscape of international trade and investment rules – including strategic advice on reducing exposure to China, diversifying supply chains, and countering unfairly traded imports.

Mr. Kessler received a BA in classics and philosophy, magna cum laude, from Yale University; an MA in philosophy from the University of Chicago; and both an MA in economics and a JD from Stanford University. Mr. Kessler resides in Virginia with his wife and two daughters.