Saying they cannot afford to wait while trade negotiations unfold, small businesses are calling for relief from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, warning that surging costs and disrupted supply chains were pushing many companies to the brink of collapse.
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At an event organised Thursday by the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, small business owners and industry experts urgently sought immediate action as a growing number of US companies – large and small – brace for the disruptive impact of tariffs.
The chamber – the country’s largest trade group, representing nearly 3 million American companies of all sizes – sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer seeking automatic exclusions for small importers who lack the capital reserves or supply chain flexibility to absorb the tariffs.
It also demanded exclusions for products that cannot be produced in the US or are not readily available domestically and – noting that more than 40 million US jobs depend on trade – a process for companies to apply for relief if tariffs pose “significant risks” to employment.
Trump imposed a cumulative 145 per cent tariff on Chinese imports and a 10 per cent universal tariff on goods from other countries, with some imports from Canada and Mexico facing a 25 per cent duty. Except for China, Trump paused the imposition of the tariffs for 90 days to allow trading partners time to negotiate.
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Trade and his cabinet secretaries claim that trade talks with China are under way, though Beijing has denied any negotiations are taking place.
