How Startup Founders Can Navigate (Or Tune Out) The D.C. 'Hoopla'

Do startups need to be following the news (and chaos) coming out of Washington D.C.? Former FTC chair Lina Khan, investor Bradley Tusk and Alma founder Harry Ritter share their tips with Upstarts.

A lightning rod for some in tech, Lina Khan has emerged as more aligned with a ‘Little Tech’ agenda in recent months. Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Longtime political operator and startup investor Bradley Tusk has a simple message for startup founders who’ve been sucked in, like many of their fellow citizens, to the surprise directives and drama coming out of Washington, D.C.: “Keep your head down.”

“Unless you’re literally importing raw materials where now you have to pay a lot more to build your product, tariff news, most of this stuff doesn’t really matter,” he tells Upstarts. “What everyone thinks matters in politics and government, and what actually affects you, are most likely two different things.”