President Donald Trump told a group of small business owners Monday that tariffs should be higher, even as polling is mixed on the issue.
“You actually said thank you for the tariffs, but the tariffs really aren’t high enough in my opinion,” Trump said at a White House Small Business Summit held during National Small Business Week.
The comments come as the administration is processing about $166 billion in court-ordered tariff refunds while also preparing for a new round of higher tariffs as early as July. Those tariffs would be implemented under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the president to impose duties following investigations into unfair trade practices. Hearings on the proposed measures are scheduled for May 5.
A survey conducted by Echelon Insights for Advancing American Freedom — an advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence — found that 46% of small business owners somewhat or strongly oppose Trump’s tariffs, compared to 41% who support them. About 42% said tariffs have increased the cost of goods needed for their businesses. The survey was conducted March 4-11.
A separate April survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found a more favorable split, with 53% of small business owners favoring the tariffs to some degree and 29% opposed. However, 56% of respondents in the same survey said tariffs have negatively impacted their operations, suggesting that support for the policy does not always translate to positive business outcomes. Of those negatively impacted, 78% reported higher prices for supplies or inventory.
Support for tariffs remains strong among Trump’s political base. A survey of attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference in late March found 91% backed the policy, according to a McLaughlin & Associates poll. In contrast, a January Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of Americans overall disapprove of tariff increases.
