00:00It's Benzinga bringing Wall Street to Main Street.
00:03Economist Paul Krugman said small business owners are increasingly feeling pressure from
00:07Trump's policies during his second term. Writing in his newsletter on Monday, Krugman said small
00:13businesses had a miserable 2025 and warned conditions could worsen in 2026. He said tariffs
00:20and immigration enforcement have strained operations, particularly for companies reliant
00:25on imported goods and foreign-born labor. Krugman said large corporations have adapted more easily
00:31through supplier shifts, trade exemptions, and political influence. He said the United States
00:37has moved toward crony capitalism under Trump, pointing to Apple receiving exemptions on smartphone
00:43imports from India while other exports face punitive tariffs. He added that rising health care costs and
00:49the expiration of federal subsidies have hit small businesses harder, contributing to closures and
00:55bankruptcies. For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.
Comments