The Shifting Relationship Between Business and the U.S. Government

The Shifting Relationship Between Business and the U.S. Government

From HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

March 17, 2026 · 22 min · Episode 1070

About this episode

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld discusses the evolving dynamics between business leaders and the U.S. government under the Trump administration.

As the Trump administration continues to reshape the U.S. and global business landscape, many have been left wondering why CEOs and other business leaders aren't vocalizing their views. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld is a professor at the Yale School of Management and has conversations every day with leaders of some of the country's biggest companies. He explains how many leaders are navigating the current state of affairs in the U.S., explains examples of collective action that have gotten the Trump administration to change course, and whether he thinks organizations are adjusting to this "new normal."

People in this episode

Host: Harvard Business Review

Guest: Jeffrey Sonnenfeld

Topics covered

  • business and government relations
  • CEO activism
  • collective action
  • Trump administration impact
  • business landscape changes

Keywords

  • business leaders
  • Trump administration
  • CEO activism
  • collective action
  • U.S. government

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Yale School of Management

Places: U.S., Trump administration

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