We Pay the Tariffs: Taking the Tariff Story Back Home

National trade debates can feel distant from the communities they affect most. In 2025, We Pay the Tariffs worked to ensure that discussions about tariffs reflected local realities — and reached the audiences that matter most.

WPTT supported small business owners in placing op-eds in local and regional news outlets across the country. These pieces were written by business owners themselves and focused on how tariffs affected jobs, prices, and investment in their communities. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, op-ed placements were intentional and targeted to ensure that local economic impacts were clearly visible.

Among the outlets that published small business op-eds were The Carolina Journal and The Oklahoman, helping bring the tariff conversation directly to readers in key regions. By grounding national policy issues in local experience, these pieces made trade policy tangible for communities across the country.

In addition to print and digital outlets, WPTT’s media engagement was picked up by local television and radio stations. These broadcasts further amplified small business voices, allowing business owners to speak directly to their communities about the challenges they were facing.

Together, these local media efforts ensured that tariff impacts were not just discussed in Washington but understood at home. By elevating small business voices through trusted local outlets, WPTT helped connect national trade policy to the everyday economic realities of communities nationwide.