MAGA Beekeeper Admits Trump Tariffs Have Cost Him Half His Business: The Bitter Honey of Trade Wars

For Jim Hartman, a beekeeper and lifelong supporter of President Donald Trump, the sting of a trade war has become far too personal. As the owner of Secret Garden Bees, a honey farm nestled in North Carolina, Hartman has spent years building his business, only to see it unravel in the wake of the Trump administration’s trade policies.

The policies that once promised economic prosperity and made Hartman a proud MAGA voter have now left him reeling, with half of his business hanging in the balance.

“I never thought I was going to lose this much money this fast,” Hartman told CNN, his voice tinged with frustration. The beekeeper who had once believed in Trump’s ability to turn the economy around now finds himself in financial crisis, as tariffs and cuts to the federal budget have left him struggling to maintain his farm.

Hartman’s experience is not an isolated one. Small businesses across the United States are feeling the effects of the president’s aggressive tariff policies, which aimed to punish China and other trade partners.

While larger corporations might weather the storm, it is the smaller operations—the backbone of rural America—that have borne the brunt of the economic fallout.

For Hartman, the economic toll is especially devastating, as half of his revenue was tied to contracts with the federal government, which suddenly halted a key program that provided his honey to food banks and schools.

The story of Jim Hartman and his farm reveals the often unseen consequences of the Trump administration’s trade policies. The policies that were supposed to benefit working-class Americans like Hartman have instead created a paradox, where the very people who voted for Trump and supported his vision are now suffering under the weight of his decisions.

Hartman’s struggle is a perfect microcosm of the economic divide between the promises of Trumpian populism and the reality of a trade war fought on the backs of those who can least afford it.

Jim Hartman’s honey farm, Secret Garden Bees, has been in operation for over two decades. For much of that time, Hartman focused on producing high-quality honey for local markets, as well as supplying honey to food banks and schools as part of a federal program that helped provide nutritious food to underserved communities.

The program, a vital source of steady income for many small-scale farmers, suddenly stopped under the Trump administration’s efforts to streamline government spending.

In an interview with CNN, Hartman described the economic hit he took when the USDA cut the program without warning: “For a lot of other local farmers around here, that was a major source of reliable revenue. For me, it’s going to cost me around $150,000 a year, roughly 50 percent of my revenue. That’s a massive hit.”

The farm’s revenue didn’t just dry up from the loss of this program. As Trump’s trade war escalated, so did the cost of equipment, as Hartman was forced to purchase supplies from overseas.

The beekeeper’s farm now faces soaring costs for everything from honey jars to corks, with prices rising sharply due to the tariffs imposed on imports from places like Taiwan and Portugal.

“We just bought our year’s supply of bottles from Taiwan and our year’s supply of corks from Portugal about three weeks ago, so that would have been another $50,000 or $60,000 out of my pocket,” Hartman explained.

This staggering increase in costs, coupled with the loss of government contracts, has forced Hartman to delay equipment upgrades and instead focus on repairing old equipment just to keep the business running. This makes it difficult for him to hire new workers or expand operations, further stymying his growth potential.

Hartman, a man who voted for Trump three times, now finds himself questioning his support for a president whose policies have deeply hurt his livelihood.

Hartman’s disillusionment is an ironic twist in the narrative of Trump’s presidency. Trump’s appeal to voters in the Rust Belt and rural America was built on promises of revitalizing American manufacturing and protecting American workers from unfair trade practices.

The goal of Trump’s tariffs was to level the playing field by punishing China and other nations accused of exploiting American labor and trade.

However, for small-scale business owners like Hartman, the harsh reality of these tariffs has meant higher costs, diminished revenue, and financial strain. The very voters who put Trump in power—those in rural communities and small businesses—are the ones now facing the consequences of his policies.

Hartman’s comments highlight the discrepancy between Trump’s economic promises and the actual effects of his trade wars. While large corporations may have the resources to absorb tariff costs, small business owners are often left with no recourse but to cut back on services, raise prices, or shut down altogether.

In his interview with CNN, Hartman admitted that the trade policies had driven him to reconsider his political allegiance: “Stuff like this is pushing me left. I’ve been left with little choice. Farmers like me have been left to carry the brunt of the president’s trade war. And although I don’t blame Trump personally for the economic downturn, the people he’s appointed and the way they’re going about things, it’s not OK.”

Hartman’s shift toward the left speaks to the broader economic disillusionment of working-class voters who were once enamored by Trump’s promise of economic nationalism but now feel betrayed by the very policies that were meant to help them.

The tariffs, while aimed at foreign countries, have disproportionately affected those who work in sectors dependent on imports or government contracts—like beekeepers, farmers, and small manufacturers.

The story of Jim Hartman and his honey farm is a perfect illustration of the broader economic fallout from the Trump administration’s tariff policies. While Trump’s supporters argue that the tariffs are necessary to counteract China’s unfair trade practices, the consequences for small business owners and working-class Americans have been significant.

Hartman is not alone in his struggles. Thousands of small businesses across the United States that rely on global supply chains and government contracts have seen their margins shrink as the cost of materials and production has increased.

The promise that the tariffs would result in jobs for American workers and revitalized industries has often not materialized for these businesses.

In fact, research shows that tariffs often harm domestic producers, especially those in industries like agriculture, manufacturing, and consumer goods.

For example, the cost of materials like steel and aluminum rose due to Trump’s tariffs, making it more expensive for American businesses to produce goods domestically. Similarly, tariffs on foreign agricultural products have led to higher prices for food and widespread disruption in supply chains.

While larger corporations might be able to absorb these price increases and pass them on to consumers, small businesses like Hartman’s are often forced to operate on razor-thin margins, leaving them vulnerable to price shocks.

The long-term consequences of Trump’s tariff strategy are only beginning to unfold, but the damage is already evident. As Hartman’s story shows, the economic strain of tariffs is not just felt by multinational corporations or foreign governments—it is felt most acutely by small businesses and workers who are not equipped to weather the financial instability that accompanies trade wars.

The irony, of course, is that many of these small business owners are Trump’s most loyal supporters. The MAGA movement has long appealed to working-class Americans who feel neglected by the political establishment.

For Trump, these voters have been key to his political base. Yet as his tariff policies have intensified, many of his supporters now find themselves on the receiving end of economic hardship, undermining the very populist platform that once earned him their trust.

Hartman’s experience is a cautionary tale of how protectionist trade policies, while intended to shield American workers, can often lead to unintended consequences that hurt the very people they are supposed to protect.

As businesses face higher costs, disrupted supply chains, and uncertainty about future trade policy, many are left wondering if the short-term benefits of tariffs are worth the long-term pain they inflict on small businesses and consumers alike.

For Hartman and other small business owners like him, the future remains uncertain. While the Trump administration has temporarily suspended some tariffs, the back-and-forth nature of the policies means that no one can be sure what the next move will be.

Many businesses, including Hartman’s, have had to make difficult decisions about their operations, from delaying equipment replacements to cutting back on staff in order to cope with the financial strain.

The temporary tariff freeze announced in early April may offer some relief to businesses in the short term, but Hartman’s frustration with the flip-flopping nature of policy is shared by many others.

As he told The Wall Street Journal: “The government’s policy has flip-flopped so many times you can’t take it to the bank.”

If Trump’s re-election campaign continues to rely on trade wars as a central issue, small business owners like Hartman may find themselves forced to reconsider their support for the president — even if they remain loyal to his broader political message.

Jim Hartman’s story is a microcosm of the broader economic tensions facing the United States in the era of Trumpian populism. Tariffs and trade wars that were once touted as solutions for working-class Americans have turned into economic hardships for the very people who put Trump into office.

Hartman’s personal financial struggles, exacerbated by Trump’s policies, represent a growing divide between political rhetoric and economic reality. For MAGA voters who believed that Trump’s economic nationalism would protect them, the trade war is proving to be a double-edged sword.

As Trump’s 2024 campaign ramps up, his ability to address these contradictions — while maintaining his core base — will be put to the test. Whether his policies will continue to favor the elite few or shift back toward a more inclusive approach for the working class remains uncertain.

For now, Jim Hartman’s bitter honey serves as a potent reminder: economic populism often comes with unintended consequences, and even the most loyal supporters can find themselves stung by the very policies they once championed.