Tariffs and Living Costs Weigh on US Small Businesses on Midterm Election Day
As Americans vote in the midterm elections, the economy is their top concern. President Donald Trump's tariffs have hit small businesses hard, and bankruptcies have risen significantly.
US voters cast their ballots in the midterm elections on 3 November, the nationwide vote held halfway through a presidential term. According to a report by the French news channel France 24, the economy remains their top concern. Particular attention falls on the tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump, which are extra charges on imported goods. These tariffs have hit small businesses hard and have led to a significant rise in bankruptcies.
Statistics versus everyday experience
Headline macroeconomic data in the United States is robust. Even so, middle-class Americans are increasingly frustrated by the rising cost of living. The gap between strong overall figures and households' daily experience is one of the themes shaping the mood on election day.
Business owners' stories
France 24 correspondents met several small business owners to find out how the tariffs are affecting their work. The report is part of the channel's business programme and runs for just under seven minutes.
The source gives no further data on the number of bankruptcies or on specific companies, so the scale of the increase and the sectors affected are not specified. What is clear is that economic issues, including prices and trade policy, weigh heavily in this vote and may influence how people choose to cast their ballots.
