Cattle ranchers say Donald Trump has turned his back on them because of his new plan to buy beef from Argentina.
Trump says he understands the cattle business better than the people who actually raise cattle in America, even though his plan could seriously hurt their income.
He went on Truth Social to defend himself after ranchers got angry about the idea of importing Argentine beef. Trump said that ranchers didn’t understand how smart his economic plan was. He wrote that the only reason ranchers are doing well now is because he put big tariffs—extra taxes—on foreign beef, including a 50% tariff on beef from Brazil. Trump added that if it weren’t for him, ranchers would still be struggling like they had for the past twenty years. He also said they need to lower their prices because he’s thinking about consumers too.
But most ranchers—and many other Americans—see Trump’s plan as a political move to help Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, win his next election. Trump has promised to support Argentina in several ways, and this deal looks like another favor to that country.
The National Farmers Union pointed out that Trump’s earlier tariffs on soybeans had already helped Argentina by pushing China to buy more from them instead of the U.S. They said America shouldn’t reward Argentina again by buying their beef.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association also criticized Trump’s plan. They noted that Argentina has already sold more than $800 million worth of beef to the U.S. over the past five years, while American ranchers have sold less than $10 million worth to Argentina.
Farm Action, a group that keeps an eye on agricultural policy, called Trump’s idea “a betrayal of the American rancher.” They said that after Trump damaged the soybean market and gave Argentina a big new buyer, he’s now doing the same thing to the cattle industry.
Even some of Trump’s supporters think he’s wrong. Right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren said the plan was a “disgrace” and “a stab in the back” to American ranchers. A Wyoming ranch called Meriwether Farms, which had publicly supported Trump, also said he was betraying the very people who produce America’s food.
Meanwhile, beef prices in the U.S. keep going up because the number of cattle has dropped to its lowest level in 75 years. Drought and climate change have made it harder to raise cattle, especially in the main ranching states. Since February 2020, beef prices have risen by more than 50 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In short, many ranchers feel that Trump’s plan to import Argentine beef would hurt American farmers, raise more questions about his loyalties, and make it even harder for them to survive in an already tough business.
