Not long after President Donald Trump announced a proposed $20 billion bailout for Argentina, he followed up with a plan to import beef from the South American nation to bring down prices in the United States. The move quickly drew outrage from American beef producers and ignited backlash among farm-state Republicans. But perhaps the most striking response came from Meriwether Farms, a Wyoming-based beef producer that prides itself on working to “preserve the traditions of American ranching.”
In a lengthy post on Twitter, Meriwether Farms expressed “love” for Trump but urged him to reconsider his decision. The company warned that the president’s move risked an “absolute betrayal” of the “American cattle rancher” and of “the very people who put food on the table for us.”
The statement captured a growing frustration among Trump’s once-loyal supporters in the agricultural sector, many of whom are beginning to feel the sting of his trade and economic policies. Importing cheaper beef from abroad, they argue, would devastate local producers already struggling with rising costs and shrinking profit margins — all while undermining the very farmers and ranchers who have long formed the backbone of Trump’s political base.
Dear @POTUS Trump,
— Meriwether Farms (@MeriwetherFarms) October 20, 2025
We love you and support you— but your suggestion to buy beef from Argentina to stabilize beef prices would be an absolute betrayal to the American cattle rancher.
We understand there are larger economic and geopolitical dynamics at play, including countering…
To better understand this growing discontent, we spoke with Matt Hildreth of RuralOrganizing.org, whose own family has deep roots in American farming. Hildreth described what he called a “perfect storm” of bad policy decisions that are hurting rural communities across the country. From erratic trade measures to unpredictable subsidies and labor shortages, Hildreth said the cumulative effect has been a steady erosion of economic stability for rural voters who once placed their faith in Trump’s promises.
Hildreth also discussed whether this shift in sentiment could open the door for Democrats to regain ground in traditionally Republican rural areas. According to him, the Democratic Party is now adapting its strategy — focusing less on top-down messaging and more on direct, community-based organizing to reconnect with rural voters who feel abandoned by Washington.
While it remains to be seen how much of Trump’s agricultural base will turn against him, the growing frustration from groups like Meriwether Farms suggests that patience in rural America is wearing thin. As Hildreth put it, “You can only tell people you love them for so long before your actions start to show otherwise.”
