Back to Headlines
Business
Jun 14, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

US Small Businesses Unfazed by Trump's Tariffs

AI Summary
US small businesses are no longer concerned about Trump's tariffs, viewing them as a non-issue due to their limited impact on profitability and growth.

The Shift in Business Sentiment

In two weeks, I’m speaking to a group of companies in the packaging industry about issues affecting their businesses this year. I’m going to discuss the economy, navigating higher costs, leveraging new tax legislation, AI and what companies are doing to find and retain workers in a volatile job market.

You know what I won’t be talking about? Tariffs.

The Event Details

That wasn’t the case a year ago. Back then, it was the hot topic everyone wanted to know about. How will tariffs affect my business? Should I increase prices? Is my company going to suffer? Are the tariffs legal? When will they end? In just the past year, a lot of those questions have been answered.

Donald Trump’s tariff increases affected some businesses – particularly those heavily reliant on buying materials from China and India – but most seemed to weather the storm. In fact, many of my clients – and those in my audience – took the “tariff” news as an opportunity (ssshh!) to increase prices even beyond the cost of the tariffs in order to tuck away a few extra dollars of profit.

The Data Analysis

  • Most businesses have adapted to the tariffs and are no longer concerned.
  • The US economy has remained resilient, with continued growth and low unemployment.
  • Businesses are more focused on issues like AI, tax legislation, and worker retention.

The Impact Analysis

The owners in my audience are mostly profitable this year, thanks to our resilient consumer economy and continued economic growth. Many continue to hire. Their customers have been conditioned to expect price increases, if need be, but that may not even be necessary for some businesses as they take advantage of new tax deductions and productivity gains that can be achieved with technology and AI.

The Prediction

Businesses now regard tariffs as a short-term problem. That’s because – to the relief of many – the Trump era is almost half over. Any new tariffs, even after they’ve made their way through the inevitable challenges, can be easily overturned by the next administration.