“Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Lear is sounding the alarm for the Trump administration as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
In a post on X, O’Leary said that while Wall Street is celebrating a booming stock market, the reality of affordability and healthcare most Americans face could determine the country’s political future.
O’Leary said that while the administration points to the S&P 500 as a win, voters are focused on affordability and healthcare.
“When people can’t afford rent, groceries, insurance, or prescriptions, nothing else matters,” O’Leary posted.
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In the video accompanying his X post, O’Leary acknowledged the strength of the financial markets, noting that the S&P 500 is hovering near all-time highs across nearly all 11 sectors.
However, O’Leary warned that the metrics don’t mean much to people who are struggling with the cost of living.
“The administration can brag about the market, and they should,” he said. “But markets don’t vote, people do. If affordability and healthcare aren’t fixed, that’s where the damage will be done.”
Small-Business Advocacy
O’Leary’s concerns aren’t just for consumers; they extend to small businesses that he credits with creating up to 70% of U.S. jobs.
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In testimony before the House Financial Services Committee last week, O’Leary said that government policy often favors S&P 500 companies while leaving small businesses to struggle with high input costs.
He called for a “fine-tuning” of tariff policies on scarce commodities such as bauxite, aluminum and softwood lumber and a streamlining of permitting to boost housing supply.
O’Leary positioned his suggested reforms as a return to the U.S. principles of innovation over regulation, urging the committee to stop favoring large corporations at the expense of the “heart of the American economy.”
“As an advocate for small businesses, I see this as a gross misallocation of resources that undermines a growing and competitive economy,” he said.
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