United 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. 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”. 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. 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 /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. One 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. 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.
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