Trump's tariffs crush small businesses as bankruptcies rise

The economy is the number one thing on American voters' minds as they cast ballots in the midterm elections, and France 24 reports that small business owners are feeling the squeeze more than anyone. The outlet's correspondents spoke with owners hit hard by Donald Trump's tariffs. Their takeaway: bankruptcies are climbing significantly.

On paper, the US economy looks strong. France 24 notes that headline macroeconomic data remains robust. But that glossy picture isn't matching what middle-class Americans say they're living through, with frustration building over the rising cost of living.

That gap between the stats and the storefront is where the tariff story lands. France 24 reports the levies have dealt a heavy blow to small businesses, pushing more of them toward failure. The rise in bankruptcies described by the outlet is significant, not marginal.

France 24 sent correspondents out to meet the people behind those numbers, business owners navigating costs they say they can't absorb. Their accounts put a face on a frustration that has moved to the center of the midterm vote.

The timing matters. Voters heading to the polls with pocketbook worries at the top of their list turn an economic mood into an electoral one, and the tariff fallout on Main Street is now part of that conversation.