Christine McDaniel
- Senior Research Fellow
Christine McDaniel is a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center. Her research focuses on international trade, globalization, and intellectual property rights.
McDaniel previously worked at Sidley Austin, LLP, a global law firm, where she was a senior economist. She has held several positions in the U.S. government, including Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Treasury Department and senior trade economist in the White House Council of Economic Advisers, and has worked in the economic offices of the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative, and U.S. International Trade Commission.
McDaniel has written for the Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Hill, and Forbes, among others, and her media appearances include CNBC, CBC, BBC, Bloomberg, and MSNBC.
McDaniel spent three years in Australia as deputy chief economist in Australia’s patent office. She has published in the areas of international trade, intellectual property, and empirical trade analysis and modeling. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado, and received her B.A. in Economics and Japanese Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Latest Work
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Biden’s Opportunity This Week: Commit to Open Trade with Canada, Lessen Dependence on China | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Curb Your EU Enthusiasm | Discourse
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A “Minerals Club” Could Help Untie Us From Authoritarian Regimes, But Leaders Must Resist Nationalistic Impulses | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
U.S. Consumer Goods and Vehicle Exports Hit a Record in January | Marketplace Radio
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Western Sanctions Are Raising Putin’s War Costs | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How Effective Have Economic Sanctions Against Russia Been? | WDET-FM
- | Regulation Regulation
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Cost of Battery Production Tax Credits Provided in the IRA | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Abundance Agenda: A Radical Response to Populist Protectionism | Discourse
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The World Is Changing: Three Economic Trends to Watch in 2023 | The Hill
Latest Work
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Biden’s Opportunity This Week: Commit to Open Trade with Canada, Lessen Dependence on China | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Curb Your EU Enthusiasm | Discourse
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A “Minerals Club” Could Help Untie Us From Authoritarian Regimes, But Leaders Must Resist Nationalistic Impulses | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
U.S. Consumer Goods and Vehicle Exports Hit a Record in January | Marketplace Radio
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Western Sanctions Are Raising Putin’s War Costs | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How Effective Have Economic Sanctions Against Russia Been? | WDET-FM
- | Regulation Regulation
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Cost of Battery Production Tax Credits Provided in the IRA | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Abundance Agenda: A Radical Response to Populist Protectionism | Discourse
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The World Is Changing: Three Economic Trends to Watch in 2023 | The Hill
Latest Work
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
POLICY SPOTLIGHT | The Benefits of Free Trade and How to Get More of It
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Submarine Cables and Container Shipments: Two Immediate Risks to the US Economy if China Invades Taiwan
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
A Pivot to a Services Trade Agenda Can Help Economic Growth
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Data Visualizations Data Visualizations
Blockchain Technology in Trade

Latest Work
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How Effective Have Economic Sanctions Against Russia Been? | WDET-FM
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Railroad Strikes | Cheddar TV
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
4th of July Costs Rise Due to Inflation | Fox 5
Latest Work
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Commerce Should Improve the Objection Process for the Section 232 Tariff Exclusion Requests
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
The De Minimis Provision in USMCA: Factors to Consider When Assessing the Potential Economic Effects on the US Economy
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Labor Market Implications as Economy Undergoes Structural Shift
Latest Work
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Biden’s Opportunity This Week: Commit to Open Trade with Canada, Lessen Dependence on China | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Curb Your EU Enthusiasm | Discourse
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A “Minerals Club” Could Help Untie Us From Authoritarian Regimes, But Leaders Must Resist Nationalistic Impulses | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
U.S. Consumer Goods and Vehicle Exports Hit a Record in January | Marketplace Radio
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Western Sanctions Are Raising Putin’s War Costs | Forbes
- | Regulation Regulation
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Cost of Battery Production Tax Credits Provided in the IRA | Forbes
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Abundance Agenda: A Radical Response to Populist Protectionism | Discourse
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The World Is Changing: Three Economic Trends to Watch in 2023 | The Hill
- | International Freedom and Trade International Freedom and Trade
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary