President Donald Trump is once again facing backlash after asserting that he knows more about the cattle business than the ranchers who have been running it for generations.
Taking to Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump attempted to justify his controversial proposal to import beef from Argentina — a move that many see as a direct threat to American cattle producers. In his post, he lashed out at critics, claiming that U.S. ranchers simply don’t understand his economic genius.
“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% Tariff on Brazil,” Trump wrote. “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!”
But for those in the agriculture industry, Trump’s explanation didn’t hold water. Ranchers and agricultural groups quickly condemned his comments, calling the plan nothing more than a political favor aimed at helping Argentine President Javier Milei ahead of that country’s election.
The National Farmers Union criticized the idea, noting that Trump’s previous tariff policies had already backfired. “The last thing we need is to reward them by importing more of their beef,” the union said, referring to Argentina, which benefited when China shifted its soybean purchases away from the U.S. after Trump’s trade war.
Similarly, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association blasted the move, reminding Americans that Argentina had already exported more than $801 million worth of beef to the United States over the past five years — compared to a mere $7 million that U.S. producers sold to Argentina in the same period.
Farm Action, an agricultural watchdog organization, was even more direct, labeling the president’s plan “a betrayal of the American rancher.” The group added, “after crashing the soybean market and gifting Argentina our largest export buyer, [Trump is] now poised to do the same to the cattle market.”
For many in the farming community, the proposal feels like yet another blow from a leader they once supported. Even right-wing figures are struggling to defend Trump’s stance this time. Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren posted on X, calling the move a “disgrace” and “a stab in the back” to hardworking American ranchers. Meriwether Farms, a Wyoming beef producer that once openly supported Trump, accused him of betraying “the very people who put food on the table for us.”
Meanwhile, consumers continue to face rising beef prices. NPR recently reported that the U.S. beef herd is at its smallest in 75 years, largely due to drought conditions affecting major cattle states. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, beef prices have surged by 51 percent since February 2020 — a worrying trend that’s putting additional strain on both ranchers and everyday Americans.
