“Michael Whatley supports the same tariff policies that are hurting small manufacturers like mine.”

A High Point furniture manufacturer is blasting Michael Whatley for his support for “harmful” tariffs that have raised costs for businesses and consumers and are hurting North Carolina’s iconic furniture industry.

DC insider Michael Whatley has championed the reckless trade war, calling it “record setting in terms of […] effectiveness” and supporting it “wholeheartedly.”

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High Point Enterprise: LETTER: Whatley backs harmful tariffs

November 15, 2025

• I’m a small business owner with both overseas production and a growing operation here in North Carolina. I believe in creating jobs and rebuilding local manufacturing here in High Point.
• But lately, it’s gotten much harder to do that. The tariffs this administration has imposed have driven up costs across the board, and customers are pulling back. Sales are down, orders are slowing, and the cash flow we once relied on to fund our North Carolina production has been squeezed dry.
• Every move from this administration seems to make operating a small business harder, not easier. As we head into the next Senate election, voters should know that Republican candidate Michael Whatley supports the same tariff policies that are hurting small manufacturers like mine. 
• North Carolina needs leaders who will actually help small businesses grow, rebuild our workforce, and make it possible to produce furniture here at home again.

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