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

What the report says

President Donald Trump said he will let up to 300,000 tonnes of ground beef enter the United States over the next three months without the higher tariff rate that normally applies after imports pass a quota, in an effort to bring down prices for consumers. Al Jazeera reported that Trump announced the move on social media on Friday and described it as part of a deal to substantially lower the cost of ground beef, though he did not identify the country or companies involved.

A White House official later said Trump planned to sign an executive order within the next two weeks and said the arrangement would require foreign beef exporters to pass along a 25 percent discount to American consumers. The president also blamed former President Joe Biden for rising beef prices and for a smaller cattle herd, while arguing the policy would help rebuild the domestic herd.

The announcement comes as beef remains a politically sensitive issue in the United States ahead of the November midterm elections. Al Jazeera noted that ground beef prices have climbed during Trump’s second term, and that cost-of-living concerns remain a major voter issue. The report also said US ranchers are likely to object, with some Republican allies warning that cheaper imports could hurt cattle producers already under pressure from tight supplies and trade policies.