WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump's tariff agenda was supposed to put America first. Instead, it has become a cash cow for the D.C. swamp.
A new report from Advancing American Freedom, the policy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, found that lobbying disclosures mentioning tariffs surged 239% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2024. Total spending reported on those filings skyrocketed 337%, according to Fox News Politics—though the figure may include lobbying on issues beyond tariffs.
The numbers paint a picture of a business community scrambling to keep up with the Trump administration's rapidly shifting trade policy. Fourteen organizations spent more than $1 million on lobbying in the third quarter, up from just two in the same quarter of 2024. Another 105 spent more than $100,000, compared with 26 two years earlier.
Rachel Greszler, the author of the Advancing American Freedom report, told Fox News Digital that companies are paying lobbyists to seek exemptions from tariffs instead of using that money to grow their businesses, hire workers or raise wages.
"Affordability is top of mind for many Americans," Greszler said, arguing that changing tariffs are raising costs, threatening jobs and squeezing paychecks.
Greszler warned that small businesses unable to afford lobbyists to seek tariff exclusions could be forced to scale back or close. A separate analysis from Advancing American Freedom estimated tariffs resulted in about 75,000 fewer manufacturing jobs—a figure that will surely be contested by the administration but one that underscores the real-world cost of the trade war.
The lobbying surge comes as the White House is tightening its own rules. New White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller issued a memo mandating that White House staff get prior approval from the Office of White House Counsel for meetings with lobbyists—and that the meetings be with registered lobbyists about government policy, Politico reported.
The directive is an apparent effort to rein in lobbying scandals and a veiled shot at Miller's predecessor, Susie Wiles, whose connections to the lobbying industry drew scrutiny. A dozen lobbyists told Politico that Miller's ideologically driven mindset and loyalty to Trump will make it harder for lobbyists to impact policy in the administration's last two years.
But the crackdown may be too little, too late. The tariff lobbying boom shows no signs of slowing, and with Trump's escalating trade war with Canada threatening to raise costs for businesses and consumers in key battleground states before voters head to the polls, K Street's phone lines are only getting busier.
The report's findings raise uncomfortable questions for a president who promised to drain the swamp. Instead, the swamp appears to be getting richer—and smaller businesses are the ones paying the price.
Our Take
Let's be clear about what this report actually shows: Trump's tariffs are working as intended for the D.C. lobbying class. While the president fights for American workers and manufacturers, the unelected bureaucrats and their corporate clients are lining up to carve out exemptions, protect their bottom lines and stick it to the little guy.
This is the administrative state in action. It's not about free markets—it's about who can afford the best lawyers and the most connected lobbyists. A small business owner in Ohio doesn't have a million dollars to spend on K Street. A multinational corporation does. And guess who gets the tariff relief?
Advancing American Freedom's report is a warning shot. If tariffs are going to be a centerpiece of the America First agenda, the administration needs to make the exemption process transparent, fair and accessible to every American business—not just the ones with lobbyists on retainer. Otherwise, we're just replacing one set of swamp creatures with another.
Stephen Miller's new lobbying restrictions are a good first step. But the real test is whether Trump's second term will be remembered for draining the swamp or for feeding it. Right now, the swamp is winning.
