‘trump In Purgatory’: A White House Plan To Lower Beef Prices Is Dividing The President’s Supporters

President Donald Trump’s latest effort to lower beef prices ahead of November’s midterms has rattled cattle markets, infuriated beef industry groups and alienated some conservatives. And it’s not clear the move will pay off at the meat counter.

Trump said Friday that he plans to remove duties on 300,000 metric tons of imported beef, which he said suppliers have agreed to sell at a 25 percent discount that will be passed on to consumers. He’s set to sign an executive order to that effect within the next two weeks, according to a White House official who was granted anonymity to discuss the plans.

But growing backlash to Trump’s beef import plan illustrates the stakes of a White House political gamble to confront high food prices that threaten Republicans at the ballot box, despite the risk of sparking industry resistance that has previously derailed similar plans.

Many of Trump’s supporters cite the cost of living as the biggest failure of the president’s second term. Yet many ranchers and Republicans argue boosting imports from foreign countries won’t tangibly lower beef prices in the short term — raising the prospect that Trump’s still-pending order could alienate ranchers without delivering noticeable relief to voters.

“You don’t put America first by putting U.S. cattle producers last,” said Justin Tupper, president of the United States Cattlemen’s Association, in a statement after Trump’s announcement.

The increased imports will last 90 days — just through November’s midterm elections.

“President Trump has repeatedly affirmed his support for America’s ranchers and farmers, including in today’s announcement,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement. “While the Administration will be easing tariffs on beef imports to address a short-term supply crunch, the Administration is simultaneously working closely with ranchers to grow America’s cattle-herd size, which is currently at a multi-decade low.”

The White House did not respond to questions about which countries will supply beef the U.S. will import.

“This is Donald Trump in purgatory,” said one ag industry representative who was granted anonymity to candidly discuss the plan. “He’s trading his long-term strategy for a short-term sugar fix, and it’s not going to do enough to alter the price of beef or any other higher elevated costs in the economy to help them in the election. It’s going to just piss off farmers and ranchers.”

It’s not the first time Trump has been caught between pleasing ranchers, a loyal GOP constituency, and addressing affordability. But the price of a summertime hamburger has continued to climb: Ground beef cost close to $7 a pound on average last month. Prices have skyrocketed due to high demand and a decades-low cattle inventory diminished by severe weather, industry consolidation and high operating costs.

“The beef inflation numbers coming out in the next round must be really bad,” said one agriculture industry representative, who was granted anonymity to speak about sensitive discussions. “We heard Trump was watching beef prices almost as closely as gas prices at one point.”

One person close to the talks told POLITICO that beef industry groups and even some top USDA officials were blindsided by Trump’s post, and had not received any briefings or details on the plan.

Industry leaders also said they are not sure which countries even have 300,000 metric tons of beef trimmings available to meet Trump’s request.

“Everybody we’re hearing from in the supply chain is like, ‘What extra meat?’” said the person close to the talks, who was granted anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes conversations.

Trump’s announcement comes after the White House postponed a similar executive order in May after widely telegraphing its plans. At the time, the administration said officials needed to continue negotiating the scope of the order — then shelved the idea amid internal disagreements.

Trump, however, will also have to contend with growing frustration from lawmakers in key agricultural states and even some leaders of the Make America Healthy Again movement as his latest plans take shape.

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) said in a statement to POLITICO that she was “extremely disappointed” by Trump’s decision.

“We all want lower grocery prices, but as I’ve said for months, we cannot do it at the expense of American producers,” she said. “Flooding the market with foreign beef hurts our livestock industry and undermines the long-term solution: growing the U.S. cattle herd to meet demand.”

Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) posted on X Friday that Trump’s plan would “further harm” ranchers, “most of whom are MAGA Republicans.”

“But the reality is this action will make it more difficult for American ranchers to rebuild our herd and bring prices down for the American people. And most importantly, this will harm our ranching families who feed the nation,” Sheehy said.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who’s pushed for legislative fixes to help domestic production of beef, called Trump’s move a “slap in the face” to ranchers and consumers.

“Worse than socialism!” he posted on X. “Dumping foreign beef in U.S. markets can temporarily lower prices but it won’t incentivize American farmers to raise more beef.” And Nebraska Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts said in a statement that the plan “compromises Nebraska farmers and ranchers.”

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has vehemently opposed moves similar to Friday’s announcement for months amid a rush of backlash from ranchers who have said that boosting imports will displace strong consumer demand for U.S. beef.

Rollins and some industry experts have pointed to increased demand for beef as a key driver of the sky-high prices. That demand has been stoked by the administration’s updated dietary guidelines and broader messaging from Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to “Eat Real Food” and prioritize protein sources like beef.

Ranchers and beef producer groups are still angry.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Colin Woodall said in a statement that “flooding the market with government-subsidized, below-market beef is not the way to rebuild the American cattle herd.”

“Today’s announcement and other market interventions throw cold water on the prospect of herd expansion and sacrifices long-term stability for short term messaging,” Woodall said.

Alex Clark, a Make America Healthy Again leader and online influencer, posted Friday that the pending executive order is “an anti MAHA move.”

“Not to mention a total slap in the face to American farmers who we should be supporting,” she wrote. “Bobby Kennedy speak up!”

Rollins on Thursday blamed the Biden administration for the ongoing price stress.

“What we are facing in America today is the direct result of a war on cattle by the previous administration,” Rollins said during a Fox Business interview.

“We started to import a lot more of our food [under Joe Biden]. We cannot survive as a country, we will not know freedom unless we can feed and fuel ourselves,” Rollins said.

Oliver Ward contributed to this report.