Will Trump Make the Economy Better? 5 Things Business Leaders, Communicators Should Anticipate

As President Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office, the business world is bracing for a potentially substantial shift in our nation’s economic and regulatory landscape. No one can be certain about how Trump will impact the economy, the changes that might occur, or the risks and opportunities accompanying those changes. But given what the incoming president has telegraphed, it’s probably a safe bet to assume that executives and communicators must stay on their toes in 2025.

Looking at this sea change through the lens of how it will ripple out through brand, reputational, and communications considerations within your organization, here are five key things to track after Inauguration Day 2025 and how business leaders and corporate communicators should prepare for them.

1. Rolling Back as We Move Forward

Given Trump’s stance on overregulation, it seems inevitable that we’ll see some level of rollbacks on environmental, labor and financial services compliance requirements.

As an example, it would not be at all surprising if the new administration struck down a ruling championed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that prohibits creditors from considering medical information when determining a person’s credit eligibility. The incoming president has also gone on record as saying he’d like to rescind the unspent funds under the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. This would sideline hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies for electric vehicles, solar power and wind energy.

Depending on your industry, you, it might face some strong headwinds or tailwinds after the president is inaugurated. Now is the time to scenario plan.

If you have a government relations function, or an internal team that has its eye on the Capitol or statehouse, or even if you don’t, you’d be wise to assess and consider the policy decisions that could be on the near-term horizon.

At Falls & Co., we run tabletop scenario planning exercises for clients to develop a game plan and contingencies to help them navigate these kinds of murky waters. But even if you don’t get help from an outside professional firm, it’s an exercise you should conduct internally. 

2. When the Time is Right, Communicate Responsibly

Even if you are the beneficiary of some regulatory rollback that has a positive impact on your operations, stakeholders will still expect accountability, and there may be backlash as scrutiny intensifies from activists, watchdogs, and maybe your customers, employees or investors. To prepare for these possibilities, you may also want to shore up any ties you have to industry groups that may be taking a holistic approach to responding to policy changes or advocating for particular outcomes across your industry.

3. America-first Stance May Affect Tax Structures, Logistics and Supply Chain Management

The incoming president and his administration have clearly indicated they’re eager to adopt America-first policies that could alter the tax structure, the cost of supplies, and even supply chain logistics, especially if major tariffs are enacted.  

Right now, companies should assess the diversity and resiliency of their supply chains and develop a communications plan for any unexpected disruptions in product or service availability.

A lot of the legwork in determining which audiences (customers, suppliers, partners, investors, etc.) you’d need to communicate with during a disruption in the supply chain and what critical information they might need from you can be done ahead of time so you can respond more quickly and effectively if an issue arises suddenly.

We build centralized matrixes for our clients that outline each audience, suggested core messaging by audience (that can be quickly tweaked when circumstances emerge), assignments for who will be responsible for communicating with each audience, and mediums through which those communications should take place (and at what cadence and level of depth).

We highly recommend going through a process like this before an issue arises. Being well prepared and having a buttoned-up process can make the difference between keeping your constituents happy or giving them cause for concern during times of tumult.

4. Your Workforce May need Special Attention

If the Trump administration follows through on its tougher stance on immigration, certain sectors of the economy (e.g. agriculture and construction) may experience worker shortages that could affect their businesses and those that intersect with them.

Prices for food or housing might skyrocket. Businesses may have to spend more to attract workers to replace employees lost to Trump immigration policies. The people remaining in the talent pool might feel the effects of having to pick up slack. And DEI initiatives may have less social support than in past years.

All of this could contribute to more stress among workers. Business leaders and communicators need to consider investing in training and communications initiatives aimed at keeping their workforce engaged, informed and healthy during what may be challenging times ahead.

5. Reputation and Brand Loyalty Concerns May Move Further into Center Stage

During the campaign, battle lines were drawn. Many Americans expressed opposing views of the values they believe the country stands for and settled into identities aligned with particular opinions or ideologies. It’s likely those polarizations won’t disappear once the new administration takes control. Many pundits are expecting they’ll only further cement.

How brands interact with their customers and clients and how they’re perceived by the public will continue to pose complications, especially for those companies and organizations that appeal to mass audiences that span wide swaths of the populace.

Perhaps nothing is more reflective of this phenomenon, where appealing to one sensibility automatically offends another, than the amount of attention Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce generated (and continue to generate). If they were a brand, and it may very well be that they’re functioning as one, they’d be widely popular and unpopular with different customers, and the brand would face massive upside potential and downside risks simultaneously.

On a smaller scale, many businesses may have to walk a similar tightrope. With so many people constantly commenting on even the smallest decisions brands make every day when communicating with their customers, every move a brand makes stands a chance of erupting into a firestorm that could lift them to new heights or burn them to the ground.

Now is the time to pay special attention to your customer and public facing feedback channels (social, web, customer service lines, news coverage, etc.). If you’re not already closely monitoring chatter and trending topics and paying attention to the news cycle, you need to be. The surest way to get run over by an attack is to not see it coming until it’s too late.

We set up early warning systems for clients and recommend all companies do the same. It’s a small investment that will pay for itself tenfold if it helps prevent just one ripple from becoming a wave.

Final Thoughts

The business climate under the new Trump administration is likely to be dynamic, offering both opportunities and risks. Companies that adopt a proactive, flexible, and transparent approach to policy changes will be best positioned to thrive.

The key is to stay grounded in your values while remaining agile enough to capitalize on new opportunities. By aligning your communications, brand, and operational strategies with the shifting landscape, your business can not only weather the changes ahead but emerge stronger.

Want to talk more about aligning your communications, brand and strategies? Contact us to help.