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FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump has made tariffs a centerpiece of his trade agenda, and businesses are spending more on D.C. bureaucrats to help navigate those rules.
Rachel Greszler, who authored a new report from Advancing American Freedom (AAF), said companies are paying lobbyists to seek exemptions from tariffs instead of using that money to grow their businesses, hire workers or raise wages.
A new report from former Vice President Mike Pence’s group found that lobbying disclosures mention tariffs rising 239% in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2024. The total spending reported on those filings jumped 337%, though it may include lobbying on issues beyond tariffs.
A MUST-WIN MIDTERM STATE IS THE REAL LOSER OF TRUMP’S CANADA TRADE WAR
Businesses are increasingly turning to Washington lobbyists to navigate President Donald Trump’s shifting trade policies, with tariff-related lobbying disclosures surging 239% in the third quarter. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
“Affordability is top of mind for many Americans,” Greszler told Fox News Digital, arguing that changing tariffs are raising costs, threatening jobs and squeezing paychecks.
Businesses are responding by stepping up their lobbying efforts. Fourteen organizations spent more than $1 million on lobbying in the third quarter, up from two in the same quarter of 2024. Another 105 spent more than $100,000, compared with 26 two years earlier.
Tariffs may also be affecting prices consumers pay.
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FLOURISH NY FED TARIFFS CHART: 30552508
Federal Reserve Bank of New York researchers estimated they added 2.9 percentage points to prices across the consumer goods they studied, including imported and U.S.-made products.
Greszler warned that small businesses unable to afford lobbyists to seek tariff exclusions could be forced to scale back or close.
Trump has defended tariffs as a central part of his trade agenda, arguing they will strengthen U.S. manufacturing and bring jobs and investment back to the country. The White House has also said foreign exporters will ultimately bear the cost.
FLOURISH TARIFF REVENUES CHART: 30871804
A separate analysis from Advancing American Freedom estimated tariffs resulted in about 75,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in their first year and up to 1 million fewer jobs nationwide than would have been expected under pre-tariff trends.
The group said manufacturing was among the hardest-hit sectors, despite being a central target of the administration’s effort to bring factory work back.
Trade has been a central focus of the Trump administration, which has used tariffs to reshape U.S. trade relationships and encourage more manufacturing at home. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The group also said U.S. trade with Canada fell by $50 billion, or 6.5%, before the latest round of Section 338 tariffs took effect. During that period, imports from other countries rose instead of U.S. manufacturing expanding.
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As the administration continues to reshape trade policy, businesses will have to decide whether to keep spending on lobbyists and tariff planning or delay investments, hiring and expansion until the rules become clearer.