Article Summary –
Trump’s tariffs have significantly increased costs for small business owners like Andrea Grove, resulting in higher prices for goods such as coffee beans and packaging, and forcing her to make difficult decisions like not paying herself and considering a second job. Nationwide, these tariffs have led to a $63.1 billion financial burden on small businesses, job losses, and an average household cost increase of $1,000 to $1,300. Despite some Republican opposition to the tariffs, efforts to repeal them face challenges, with Trump expected to veto any such resolution, while small business owners and families call for federal support to alleviate the economic strain.
With President Donald Trump’s tariffs escalating business costs, Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co. in Harrisburg, struggles to sustain her business while maintaining employee wages and affordable prices. Many small-business owners nationwide face financial hurdles as Trump’s tariffs increase prices on coffee beans, groceries, aluminum, and packaging.
Faced with higher costs for coffee beans and Chinese packaging, Grove has stopped paying herself, frozen hiring, raised prices, and switched to plastic serveware. Worried after 11 years in business, she admits “scraping the bottom of the barrel financially” to keep the company afloat.
“I’m very nervous,” Grove stated, expressing concern over sustaining her business and meeting original goals amid rising financial pressures. She recently eliminated her wages, resorting to a $400 self-payment for essentials like rent and pet care. Considering a substitute teaching job, she questions finding time for it.
Rising costs for businesses and households
Two recent reports highlight Trump’s tariffs’ financial impact on small businesses and families. Trump initiated a 10% tariff on global imports, declaring a “national emergency” due to foreign trade practices. Consumer prices have risen during his second term.
A report by Sen. Ed Markey shows small U.S. businesses paid over $63.1 billion from March to November 2025 due to tariffs, with Pennsylvania businesses contributing $1.6 billion. Businesses with fewer than 500 workers lost 132,000 jobs since April 2025.
“Small businesses lack Mar-a-Lago memberships or exemptions from Trump’s reckless policies,” Markey said in a press release. Trump’s tariffs elevated household costs by $1,000 in 2025, with another $1,300 expected in 2026, per a Tax Foundation study. Notably, Trump’s tariffs are the largest U.S. tax increase since 1993.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates U.S. consumers bear 95% of Trump’s tariffs. Despite increased tariffs, real wages have risen, and GDP growth accelerated, as per White House spokesperson Kush Desai.
Congressional votes on tariffs
House Republicans blocking efforts to overturn Trump’s tariffs faced a shift on Feb. 11 when six Republicans joined Democrats to block tariffs on Canada. The resolution moves to the Senate, where some Republicans previously supported similar measures. Trump is expected to veto, making repeal unlikely without a two-thirds congressional vote.
Republican Reps. joined Democrats to defeat a resolution banning tariff challenges through July 31. With public disapproval evident—60% of Americans disapprove of tariffs per Pew Research Center—legislators are pressured to respond.
With Pennsylvania feeling the pinch, health care premiums are rising, and congressional Republicans have cut Medicaid, affecting thousands. Rachele Fortier of Affordable Pennsylvania criticized state reps for supporting continued cost increases.
‘We need support from the federal government’
As lawmakers debate Trump’s tariffs and economic policies, Grove urges officials to listen to small-business owners. She emphasized the importance of small businesses, urging legislative support beyond customer patronage.
“Understand that decisions affect real people,” Grove stated, warning lawmakers that ignoring these concerns could lead to public discontent.
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