The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has taken a bold stance against recent trade policies, warning that tariffs on foreign imports could push the nation toward a recession by devastating small businesses across America.
In a letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday, Chamber CEO Suzanne Clark requested “automatic exclusion” from new tariffs for U.S. small businesses that import goods from abroad.
The plea comes as Small Business Month begins, highlighting the particular vulnerability of Main Street enterprises caught in the crossfire of escalating trade tensions.
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Small businesses lack financial cushion
In a letter reported by CBS News, Chamber President Suzanne Clark urged the administration to act quickly, warning that small businesses lack the margins or reserves to absorb tariff hikes.
This concern is backed by data, a recent TD Bank survey revealed about 43% of small business owners reported their companies couldn’t survive revenue shortfalls lasting just three to four months.
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Unlike major corporations such as Amazon, Temu, and Shein, which have already begun passing tariff costs onto consumers, small businesses have far less flexibility to absorb or transfer these added expenses without losing customers.
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Growing concerns across political spectrum
The Chamber isn’t alone in sounding the alarm. Senator Ed Markey, a U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship ranking member, has also requested tariff exemptions for Main Street businesses.
“These businesses simply do not have the financial cushion to absorb price shocks or the resources to navigate sudden changes to an already complex supply channel,” wrote the Massachusetts Democrat.
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Current tariff landscape
Under current policies, most imported products face a 10% tariff, while Chinese goods are subject to much steeper levies—up to 145%. Economists have warned that these trade policies are already hampering economic growth and increasing the probability of recession over the next 12 months.
This contrasts with the International Monetary Fund’s April assessment that the U.S. isn’t expected to enter a recession in 2025.
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Businesses in limbo
Clark warned of “irreparable harm” to small businesses if trade deals aren’t reached soon, according to reporting from CBS News, even as President Trump recently told Time magazine that agreements might be finalized in the “next three to four weeks.”
Meanwhile, small business owners remain uncertain, forced to make difficult operational decisions amid fluctuating tariff policies. The Chamber reports hearing daily from entrepreneurs who see their very survival threatened by recent tariff increases, especially when one large, unexpected bill could push them over the edge.
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