President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs have sent markets around the world plummeting, but don't expect many business executives or Republican officials who oppose them to say so publicly.
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“There is zero incentive for any company or brand to be remotely critical of this administration,” said a public affairs operative, who, like others interviewed for this story, was granted anonymity to speak freely. “It destroys your ability to work with the White House and advance your policies, period.”
An official in the energy industry echoed that sense of fear. “Hearing angst and frustration from all quarters,” the official said via text message, “but no one wants to be first out of the box saying anything negative about Trump’s decision-making.”
“There is absolutely a sense that the administration is keeping a list, and no one on K Street wants to be on it,” said one executive at a trade group downtown.
“I think a lot of business leaders are very frustrated that the process of getting here was opaque, and that the decision points are so starkly black and white, and … that they’re not dealing with situations with more nuance,” one multi-client Republican lobbyist said, before adding: “I’m trying to say something profound without getting a call from the White House that, ‘You’re next.’”
“What’s the Japanese proverb? The nail sticking up gets hammered down,” the lobbyist added. “On K Street, there’s no value in being the nail sticking up right now.”
“People are smarter this time in dealing with the Trump administration,” the person said. “They know not to beat their chest and try to score points in The New York Times, but have conversations behind the scenes and try to make deals. I think it’s about making deals and not antagonizing the administration.”
“Everyone is terrified,” a senior GOP aide said. “But I don’t think anyone wants to cross the president right now.”