To the editor:

As the owner of a small Ohio business, I’ve weathered just about every kind of economic storm over the past few decades. I’ve adapted as customers shifted from Main Street shops to megastores and now to online shopping. Thankfully, my business has survived it all.

Nothing has shaken up America’s economy quite like the flood of cheap imports from China and other countries over the last few decades. However, I’ve been feeling more hopeful since November. President Trump understands the challenges small businesses face, and his policies are set to breathe new life into American manufacturing, which will, with time, rebuild our economy stronger and more resilient than before.

I believe we’re on the cusp of a new American century that will make us competitive with the rest of the world again. The American Spirit demands that we work harder, push faster, and innovate more than our competitors, we just needed the leadership of President Trump to unlock it again.

But here’s what worries me: our technology infrastructure isn’t keeping pace. My fellow business owners and I spend more and more on overhead, like labor, insurance, and technology, every year. That leaves less money to invest in actually making or selling things. At the same time, every function of my business, from communicating about sales with customers to doing our banking, is happening online. These companies tell us our data is secure, but is it?

So why is software becoming a larger part of business and a larger part of my budget, despite it being less secure? From what I’ve seen, a major factor is the world’s largest business software providers, Microsoft, creating a controlling grip on our digital infrastructure. Their behavior is terrible for our businesses and our security.

I talk with other local business owners who feel trapped by their technology choices, but many face the same problem – they’re locked into expensive Microsoft contracts that waste money. When they want to upgrade or try something different, they discover they’re stuck in Microsoft’s world, facing enormous costs to switch to anything else.

President Trump sees this threat clearly. He understands that having one company dominate a software sector creates real security concerns. Most businesses in my county have no choice but to rely on software from this single company, creating a vulnerability that hackers have repeatedly exploited.

Despite recent major breaches by hostile foreign actors in recent years, Microsoft has denied responsibility for the hacks. They should be significantly expanding their security teams to tackle this issue, However, the company just announced this month that it’s planning to lay off thousands of employees. Once again, it appears Microsoft thinks it can cut corners instead of competing fairly.

Here in Columbiana County, our economy has held steady despite challenging times. Our community keeps going because we adapt and innovate. But innovation needs competition – something Microsoft actively works to prevent by using their market position to block competitors and trap customers.

President Trump’s FTC investigation into Microsoft’s business practices is exactly what America needs. I’m glad he supports this effort to shine a light on Microsoft’s market manipulation. This isn’t about politics. It’s about protecting American businesses and taxpayer dollars.

Breaking down these unfair practices would create opportunities for American small businesses. When big businesses compete fairly, our entrepreneurs get a chance to develop better, more secure alternatives that will help the new century of American manufacturing take off.

As a business owner who has navigated decades of economic changes and as a local Republican committeeman, I believe in fair competition and American security. I see firsthand how Microsoft’s monopolistic practices harm small businesses, jeopardizing the Trump economy, if not the whole MAGA agenda. Addressing this problem requires leadership that puts American interests first — exactly the kind of leadership President Trump has promised.

Rick Dieringer,

East Liverpool