Democratic senators sound alarm over tariff impact on small business in letter to Commerce secretary
Senate Democrats sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to call on the Trump administration to reverse its recent sweeping tariff actions, while raising alarm over the potential threats posed to small businesses.
In the recent letter, led by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), a group of Democrats said the recent tariffs “are putting small businesses in an impossible position.”
“Business owners are forced to decide between absorbing the costs while risking staff layoffs and potential closure, or passing the increased costs along to their customers with whom they have built a relationship and who are already facing high prices due to inflation,” they wrote. “Simply put, President Trump’s blanket tariffs will have catastrophic impacts on American small businesses and consumers alike.”
“In today’s globalized economy, disruptions in one part of the supply chain can have cascading effects, impacting small businesses across all regions and sectors,” they continued. “Moreover, retaliatory tariffs will only compound this dire economic situation, hurting our export-oriented small businesses that have long-standing trade relations with countries around the globe.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.) signed onto the letter, along with others including Sens. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) and Martin Heinrich (N.M.).
The letter comes as Democrats have been largely unified in opposing Trump’s latest tariffs.
