(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump attacked US cattle ranchers over their criticism of his plan to slash record beef prices by importing significantly more tariff-free meat from Argentina, deepening a quarrel with a group of reliable supporters and raising concerns among ranch-state Republican lawmakers.
Trump on Wednesday said that cattlemen should be grateful for his tariff policies, saying they have helped boost their profits. At the same time, he also implored them to lower the cost of their products.
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“If it weren’t for me, they would be doing just as they’ve done for the past 20 years — Terrible! It would be nice if they would understand that,” the president posted on social media. “They also have to get their prices down, because the consumer is a very big factor in my thinking, also!”
The US plans to increase the tariff-rate quota for Argentina to 80,000 metric tons of beef — effectively quadrupling the amount exempt from 26.4% tariffs, a White House official said later Wednesday. The Agriculture Department also said it would seek to expedite regulatory reforms and increase processing capacity to lessen the impact on US farmers.
“We are committed to ensuring the American people have an affordable source of protein and that America’s ranchers have a strong economic environment where they can continue to operate for generations to come,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a statement.
The president’s comments come one day after Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Republicans said they raised the concerns of ranchers during a White House lunch. Several said they’ve also spoken this week with Rollins, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said he’s discussed importing beef from Argentina “extensively” with the White House. North Dakota Republican Senator John Hoeven said he has emphasized in meetings with Trump and other cabinet members that ranchers want to be the ones to create more US supply to bring down prices.
“The answer is let the markets continue to recover,” Senator Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, said Wednesday, adding that ranchers are “finally getting to the point where they’re making money again and they’re very concerned about these actions.”
The dust-up illustrates the dilemma facing Trump as he ratchets up import taxes to their highest levels in a century. While the duties have helped protect some American industries, they have also helped drive up prices for consumers — cutting against his campaign promise to tackle inflation.
