Charles Esther
President Donald Trump’s recent tariff “pause” has triggered a wave of caution among business leaders.
From industrial firms to financial giants, CEOs are using the term “pause” as a subtle but powerful way to express their hesitation.
It reflects a blend of uncertainty and hope — a holding pattern until the economic fog lifts.
The Tariff Pause That Shook the Market
The buzz began when Trump announced a 90-day hiatus on some tariffs via a Truth Social post, emphasizing the word “PAUSE” in all caps.
That announcement alone sent major U.S. stock indexes soaring to their best day in years following weeks of market downturn.
But behind the rally lies a nervous business community trying to understand what the pause really means for the future.
Why Companies Are Hitting Pause
Keith Lambert, CEO of Oxidizers — a California-based firm that sells pollution-control equipment — said his company is pausing decisions around hiring and expansion.
The uncertainty around tariffs, he told Business Insider, is forcing his $20 million-a-year business and its clients to stay cautious.
“Right now, it’s just that pregnant pause of ‘OK, wait, let’s see,’” Lambert said.
Megan Gluth, CEO of Catalynt Solutions near Seattle, echoed similar concerns.
Her company, which generates $91 million in annual sales, is postponing capital investments and contract signings due to trade policy unpredictability.
“We’re just putting pause on signing all those contracts right now because we just don’t know,” she explained.
The Rise of the P-Word in the C-Suite
The term “pause” is becoming the preferred vocabulary of CEOs trying to project prudence without panicking investors.
Ted Pick, CEO of Morgan Stanley, recently said on an investor call that market uncertainty has slowed down IPOs and other corporate decisions.
But rather than using harsh terms like “cancel” or “abandon,” he framed the situation as “pause versus delete.”
In his view, business activity hasn’t ended — it’s simply on hold until there’s more clarity.
Industries Taking a Step Back
Acuity, a tech company that focuses on lighting and smart building systems, also announced it would “take a pause” to reassess its plans following Trump’s tariff announcement.
CEO Neil Ashe described tariffs as the equivalent of a “supply shock,” prompting caution.
Even before Trump’s announcement, companies like BGSF, a national staffing firm, had already noted a “slight pause” in post-election business optimism.
Canadian-based GreenFirst Forest Products also stated it would “pause certain elements” of its expansion plans to evaluate potential tariff fallout.
Why a Pause Makes Sense
According to Erin McLaughlin, a senior economist at The Conference Board, pausing is often the smart choice when future trade policies remain unclear.
She explained that major business decisions — like shifting supply chains — typically require 3 to 7 years of planning.
So a 90-day pause, while useful, doesn’t remove long-term uncertainties.
McLaughlin said many companies are still searching for the rationale and ultimate objective behind the tariffs.
Until that’s clear, many leaders are choosing caution over commitment.
A Temporary Stop or a Permanent Freeze?
There’s a fine line between a pause and a permanent stop.
Morgan Stanley’s Pick warned that if this economic limbo lasts too long, the corporate appetite for deals and investments might vanish.
In his words, “the pause effectively becomes a relook and the books get put away.”
Still, many CEOs remain cautiously optimistic.
They hope the current uncertainty will lift soon, allowing them to resume normal business operations.
But until then, the “great pause” continues — a defining phrase in today’s corporate vocabulary.
