‘If it weren’t for me…’: Trump says cattle ranchers benefiting from tariffs, urges them to lower their prices

United States President Donald Trump has emphasised that American cattle ranchers ere reaping benefits from the tariffs he imposed on imports from other countries, but urged them to lower their prices to make beef more affordable for domestic consumers. Donald Trump also reminded the cattle ranchers that of it were not for him and the tariffs that he imposed, they would still be doing how they have done past years. The US President, however, did not mention how the cattle ranchers are benefiting.

“The Cattle Ranchers, who I love, don’t understand that the only reason they are doing so well, for the first time in decades, is because I put Tariffs on cattle coming into the United States, including a 50 per cent Tariff on Brazil,” Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

He continued, “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, but they also have to get their prices down, because the consumer is a very big factor in my thinking, also!”

The US President further emphasised, “In addition to everything else, Tariffs on other Countries SAVED our Cattle Ranchers!”

This comes as Trump’s plan to lower beef prices by importing more meat from Argentina faces strong opposition from US ranchers enjoying rare profits, and experts doubt it would actually make grocery store beef cheaper. Also Read | India, US trade deal likely soon, huge tariff cuts on the horizon

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association along with the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America and other farming groups – who are normally some of the president’s biggest supporters – all criticised Trump’s idea because of what it could do to American ranchers and feedlot operators.

Why beef prices are up?

Beef prices have surged due to a combination of strong demand and the smallest US cattle herd since 1961, a result partly of years of drought and previously low cattle prices. Also Read | Cattle firm as beef prices turn higher, supplies remain tight

Beef imports also are down overall because of the 50 per cent tariffs that Trump imposed on Brazil, a big beef exporter, and limits on Mexico, where the country is fighting a flesh-eating pest.