On November 7, 2025, President Donald Trump posted twice regarding the cattle industry on his Truth Social page:
@realDonaldTrump posted: “I have asked the DOJ to immediately begin an investigation into the Meat Packing Companies who are driving up the price of Beef through illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation. We will always protect our American Ranchers, and they are being blamed for what is being done by Majority Foreign Owned Meat Packers, who artificially inflate prices, and jeopardize the security of our Nation’s food supply. Action must be taken immediately to protect Consumers, combat illegal Monopolies, and ensure these Corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American People. I am asking the DOJ to act expeditiously. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
In a separate Truth Social post within minutes, @realDonaldTrump said: “While Cattle Prices have dropped substantially, the price of Boxed Beef has gone up – Therefore, you know that something is ‘fishy.’ We will get to the bottom of it very quickly. If there is a criminality, those people responsible will pay a steep price!”
Social media lit up with comments. After several Truth Social posts and comments to reporters in recent weeks saying that he had “worked his magic” to lower beef prices, explaining that he would allow for additional Argentinian beef to be imported (four times the normal quota – about 80,000 metric tons) and saying on social media that ranchers needed to lower their prices. He also took credit for the recent strong market, saying “The Cattle Ranchers, who I love, don’t understand that the only reason they are doing so well, for the first time in decades is because I put Tariffs on cattle coming into the United States, including a 50 % Tariff on Brazil,” he posted on Oct. 22, 2025.
The Live Cattle and Feeder futures have dropped limit down at least three different days following the President’s comments about lowering beef prices; meanwhile boxed beef values have increased.
News outlets including the New York Times and many others reported last spring that Pilgrim’s Pride, a subsidiary of Brazilian-owned JBS made the single largest contribution – $5 million – to the 2025 Trump Vance Inaugural Committee. The $239 million in donations dwarfed previous administrations’ inaugural donation totals such as $30 million for George W. Bush in 2001, $62 million for Joseph R. Biden in 2021 and the previous record of $107 million collected by President Trump in 2017. According to the New York Times, it is unlikely the entire donation amount was used for the inauguration and the inauguration committee is not required to report how it spends the money. It is expected the excess would go to “other Trump-sponsored projects, primarily a nonprofit organization that will build his presidential library,” said the New York Times.
“Yes, let’s keep American ranchers out of the crosshairs,” said the United States Cattlemen’s Association on Facebook. “But USCA will continue to state that beef prices…are not too high. Prices are a direct reflection of consumer demand – consumers want U.S. beef.”
The group said, “USCA appreciates President Trump taking a closer look at the industry and exploring ways to support U.S. ranchers. We look forward to providing the producers’ voice and perspective in discussions regarding the supply chain and retail sector going forward.”
R-CALF USA Vice President Eric Gropper of Long Valley, South Dakota, told TSLN last week that those market divergences following social media comments are a sign of a “dysfunctional” market.
Today, Nov. 7, 2025, in reaction to the President’s post, Gropper said, “Those comments are phenomenal. That is what R-CALF has been saying for over 20 years. We knew if we could get the message to him, that he would understand. It’s not hard to see what the problem is,” said Gropper.
Secretary Rollins has referenced the consolidation of the “big four” meatpackers in recent media interviews, and Gropper believes she is to credit for taking the ranchers’ message to the President. “She’s the one that got ranchers in the oval office last month. I’m very impressed with this lady. She helped the Maudes. She’s shown that she’s willing to listen and she’s willing to act. I like that about her,” he said.
Gropper said that the President’s comments in recent weeks have “caused a lot of grief for us,” but he and his organization are pleased to see President Trump’s acknowledgement that cattle and beef prices are not necessarily correlated and that meat packer consolidation could affect prices of both.
Jack Payne, rancher and owner of Nevada Livestock Marketing, who met briefly with President Trump on Oct. 22, 2025, is also happy to see the President’s social media comments.
Payne and another rancher, Hayden Ballard of Utah, also spoke with four cabinet members on Oct. 22, 2025. They told the Secretaries of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Interior and Small Business Agency that in order to rebuild the cow herd, cattle producers need to feel confident in the future of the industry. The men reminded the secretaries that two of the “big four” meatpackers are foreign owned and control 85 percent of the market. Payne believes the President has heard the message of independent ranchers and he looks forward to the results of the investigation.
