%20(3).png){kind=small}
![TFD [LOGO] (10).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/bea252_c1775b2fb69c4411abe5f0d27e15b130~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_150,y_143,w_1221,h_1193/fill/w_179,h_176,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/TFD%20%5BLOGO%5D%20(10).png)
Trump Demands Cattle Ranchers to Reduce Prices
- By The Financial District
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
President Donald Trump attacked U.S. 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 GOP lawmakers, Skylar Woodhouse and Alicia Diaz reported for Bloomberg News.
Trump recently said that cattlemen should be grateful for his tariff policies, claiming they have helped boost their profits.
He also demanded that they cut the cost of their products.
“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 U.S. 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.
Trump’s comments came a day after Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other GOP senators said they had raised ranchers’ concerns during a White House lunch.
North Dakota Senator John Hoeven emphasized in meetings with Trump and other Cabinet members that ranchers want to be the ones to create more U.S. supply to bring down prices.
“The answer is to let the markets continue to recover,” Senator Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, said, 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 highlights the dilemma facing Trump as he ratchets up import taxes to their highest levels. While the duties have helped protect U.S. industries, they have also driven up prices for consumers — cutting against his campaign promise to tackle inflation.
