Big Business Backs Away From Trump’s Party But Longs for Old GOP
Democrats have an opportunity now that the business community is ditching the Republican Party, but a post-Trump pivot seems likely.
Big Business is in a tight spot. Rebellious Trump loyalists have amped up their influence over the Republican Party, which business has traditionally leaned on for support. Meanwhile, although President-elect Joe Biden is a moderate, the Democratic Party’s platform is the most left-leaning it’s been in decades. “From a business standpoint we’re concerned about the growing ranks of populist viewpoints in the Republican Party and the growing ranks of progressive and socialist viewpoints in the Democratic Party,” says Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
So big companies and business groups such as the Chamber are playing a delicate game. They’re distancing themselves from Trump as fast as they can and hoping that his grip on the party will loosen once he leaves office. They’re also searching for ways to work with Democrats, who for the first time since the 2009-10 congressional term will control the White House and both houses of Congress.