The Republican party has traditionally been the political home of business in America. This usual refuge of the wealthy and small-government minded electorate are having their presumptions stood on their heads as Donald Trump appears likely to be the Republican nominee for president in the upcoming election.
Just as mainstream Republican party supporters have watched in horror as Trump won state after state in the primaries, ousting such traditionalist Republicans as JEB Bush, Ted Cruz and John Kasich; so to traditionally conservative businessmen have been shaking their heads and wondering how the whole fiasco will end.
Some of Trump’s policies are seen as bad for business by most businessmen, such as his threat to revoke trade deals and impose punishing tariffs on imports. He has threatened to target US companies with off-shore operations, like computer giant Apple, and Mondelez, the Oreo manufacturer, with fines and presidential name-calling.
Head of the US Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, has strongly disagreed with Trump’s position on trade, saying: “It’s just pretty sort of stupid.”
A spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce said the group does not want to talk about Trump and his particular personality. He did say that companies have come up against “extraordinary political and geopolitical uncertainty” and added that: “Politicians should think twice before bashing business.”
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