With uncertainty around tariffs, small businesses could be hardest hit

As the Trump administration rolls out new tariffs, small business owners across the country are starting to come to terms with the impact the move is having on their livelihood, with those relying on goods from China hit especially hard

President Trump announced Wednesday to Truth Social he's increasing the tariff on China to 125 percent, saying the country showed a lack of respect

This move comes after Trump had already imposed sweeping reciprocal tariffs with China hardest hit, seeing a levy of at least 104 percent on all its goods

Now a slew of entrepreneurs who rely on China for importing materials and product are speaking out

Casey Ames, who founded Harkla, which imports developmental and century toys from China for kids with special needs

says he's now going to have to abandon his current shipment there and shut down the physical product

side of his business. As the 104% tariff increase already made shipment the total $191,000 compared

to what it would have been in 2024, $4,707. In a post to X, he wrote, I've been building this

business since 2015 To have it decimated by increased U import taxes overnight is now a reality And of course Ames isn alone Beth Finbo creator of Busy Baby is also leaving her shipment of products in China

saying on Instagram she's even thinking about setting up shop in China

and finding a distributor to help sell her products there, since she's already paid for them

Meanwhile, Shark Tank star and investor Kevin O'Leary is backing Trump's move

but says the tariffs on China should be even higher, accusing the Chinese government of systemic intellectual property violations

104% tariffs on China are not enough. I'm advocating 400%. I do business in China

They don't play by the rules. They've been in the WTO for decades. They have never abided by any of the rules they agreed to when they came in for decades

They cheat. They steal. They steal IP. I can't litigate in their courts. They take product, technology

They steal it, they manufacture it, sell it back here. President Trump says tariffs will revive American manufacturing

incentivizing domestic and foreign companies to build factories in the U.S. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kayleigh Carey

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