Mass. governor urges halt to new tariffs, pledges state action to help businesses

Governor Maura Healey urged President Donald Trump to stop imposing new tariffs and pledged that her administration will mobilize state resources to help Massachusetts businesses cope with rising costs and market uncertainty, saying the measures have created "chaos and uncertainty" that is "causing considerable harm to our residents, to our economy, and to our businesses."

The comment came during a meeting with business leaders and state economic officials convened to discuss the immediate effects of the latest round of tariffs and possible state responses. Healey said even though some reciprocal tariffs were paused, "the fact remains we do not know what is going to happen next," and that uncertainty is prompting businesses to delay hiring, investment and contracts.

Why it matters: business leaders at the meeting described the tariff-linked uncertainty as paralyzing decisions on capital investment, hiring and supply contracts. Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, said the uncertainty has led companies to "hesitat[e] on capital investments" and to reconsider contractual relationships that assume stable steel or aluminum prices. John Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, told the governor that tariffs act as a "direct tax upon the consumer," and that small businesses and consumers are most affected.

Massachusetts officials and business groups said the state will look first to its existing economic-development entities and recently passed legislation to provide relief. Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao noted the state's recently passed economic development bill — described in the meeting as a $4,000,000,000 package — and said implementation of that legislation and programs run through quasi-public organizations such as MassTech and the Mass Life Sciences Center will be prioritized to help companies. Hao said the administration will "be out with more very shortly" about specific programs to address tariff-related pressures.

Speakers gave examples of the potential economic damage. Brooke Thompson, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, recounted two business cases: an industrial contractor that put "50% of their contracts on hold" and a paper manufacturer that imports about $15,000,000 of product from Canada annually and could face an estimated $3,000,000–$5,000,000 in additional costs under some scenarios. Thompson said those increases could put some firms "out of business."

The governor emphasized state-level policy tools that could ease near-term burdens, including tax measures already enacted, MassTech, the Mass Life Sciences Center, and other grant and credit programs. Healey said the administration will "make the most of that" while working with other governors and international partners, including Canada, to mitigate supply disruptions such as higher lumber costs for housing construction.

No formal state legislative or budgetary action was taken at the meeting. Participants described the session as a listening and planning conversation; Healey and Hao said officials would return with specific program details in the coming days. The governor also urged Congress to act if the federal administration does not reverse course.

The meeting combined accounts from large and small employers across sectors — life sciences, technology, manufacturing, retail and restaurants — and representatives said the impact is being felt across urban and rural parts of the Commonwealth. Officials said the state will prioritize implementation of the recently passed economic-development package while exploring targeted short-term supports delivered through existing quasi-public agencies.