Trump waives ‘out-of-quota’ beef tariffs for 90 days to lower prices

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkGround beef prices are up 24 percent during President Donald Trump's second term [File: Erin Hooley/AP]By Evan SemonesPublished On 21 Aug 202621 Aug 2026United States President Donald Trump says he will allow imports of up to 300,000 tonnes of ground beef over the next three months without paying higher tariffs, a move aimed at lowering the price of a household staple.On Friday, Trump posted on social media that he made a deal to “substantially lower” the price of ground beef for Americans.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump hails lower prices in US amid rising angst over cost of livinglist 2 of 3US ranchers whiplashed by Trump’s beef policieslist 3 of 3First US screwworm case in 60 years: Should America be worried?end of list“We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices,” Trump wrote on his TruthSocial account. “This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again.”Typically, a higher tariff rate kicks in on beef-exporting countries after the US has imported a certain quantity of beef.Trump did not say with which country he had made that deal or which companies had agreed to sell their beef at below-market-rate prices.When pressed for specifics by Al Jazeera, a White House official said Trump will formally sign an executive order “within the next two weeks”.“In exchange for this tariff relief, President Trump has secured a deal with foreign beef exporters who will provide a 25 percent discount on beef exports to be passed along to American consumers,” the official added.Trump also attempted to shift the blame for rising beef prices onto his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, who left the White House in January 2025 but whom Trump frequently blames for continued inflation in the US.“As everyone knows, under President Biden, beef prices soared at their fastest rate and the American beef herd fell to its smallest size in modern history,” Trump wrote.The price for a pound (453.6 grams) of ground beef was $5.55 when Trump returned to the White House, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics. As of July, that price had risen to $6.89, an increase of 24 percent since Trump took office and 10 percent since last July.The president’s announcement comes ahead of pivotal midterm elections this November, where rising prices are expected to be a key factor for voters.A Reuters/Ipsos poll released this month revealed that Democrats (35 percent) hold an eight-point lead over Republicans (27 percent) as the more -trusted party to handle the cost of living. The poll also found that Trump’s approval on the cost of living was at 23 percent, while approval of his handling of inflation was lower at 22 percent.US ranchers to objectOne of Trump’s top Republican allies, US Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana, criticised Trump’s announcement, saying it will harm cattle ranching families and American farm groups.“I’ve advised President Trump against this course of action for a year because American ranchers have been struggling against the packer monopoly for decades and this will further harm them – most of whom are MAGA Republicans,” Sheehy wrote on X.The Trump administration has struggled to reduce beef costs, which have remained high throughout his second term. Al Jazeera reported that US consumers have higher costs for beef due to rising cattle prices, largely the result of the lowest herd numbers for cattle since the 1950s.Other factors constricting supply include Trump’s tariffs on imported beef and the closure of the US-Mexican border to live cattle over concerns related to the screwworm disease.The White House pushed last October to buy more beef from Argentina, prompting backlash from US ranching and farming groups that said they would be harmed.