How CEOs Are Navigating Trump in 2026

Bloomberg (Jan 13, 2026) "How CEOs Are Navigating Trump in 2026" — a CEO playbook feature — documents that corporate America has come to understand the President's direct interventions can impact business as profoundly as economic forces, making the White House a high-stakes game of loyalty and leverage. Playbook elements: find a way to communicate (Trump answers his mobile phone); avoid direct criticism but educate, often using visual aids — Target CEO Brian Cornell is cited as executing this approach; almost no CEO speaks publicly about Trump's meddling, but companies are building back channels and giving the appearance of acquiescence. Bloomberg notes Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan is the rare CEO with enough clout to speak openly. Direct read-out for SEA mid-market boards whose US-facing exec teams now operate under similar dynamics.