Major Industry Leader Blasts Trump, Says Support Among Key Group Has ‘Taken A Hit’
The president of the United States Cattlemen’s Association, Justin Tupper, slammed President Donald Trump’s recent decision to reduce tariffs on certain beef imports.
Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday that the plan would “reduce prices for Americans” by allowing up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported into the United States free of an out-of-quota tariff.
“We have a commitment that this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices. This deal will reduce prices for Americans while giving space for our Great American Beef Herd to grow again,” Trump wrote.
Despite Trump claiming to reporters on Friday the move is “what the voters want,” Tupper, along with numerous Republican lawmakers, maligned the decision, claiming it will likely hurt many U.S. cattlemen.
“You don’t put America first by putting U.S. cattle producers last. This move will weaken our markets and gamble with food safety in the process,” Tupper said in his initial statement.
The USCA president continued to bash Trump during Tuesday’s edition of MS NOW’s “State of Play with Peter Alexander.”
“Bringing in foreign beef that does not have to live up to the same standards or any of the things that we go by here in this country, we don’t think will one of two things — will not bring down the price of beef in the store and it’s not gonna help the ranchers to increase their herds,” Tupper said.
Trump and administration officials have remained mum about what countries will receive the reduced tariffs.
“I don’t wanna say,” Trump said when asked by reporters on Friday.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said she was “not privy to talk about that” when asked about the decision during a press gaggle on Tuesday.
Tupper didn’t hold back when asked if Trump’s move would hurt support for him among American cattlemen.
“Well, I definitely think it has taken a hit to that. There’s still a lot of support for the president, but I think it’s definitely taken a hit because this does not support the ‘America First’ agenda, and the American cattle ranchers are very proud people,” Tupper said.
Watch Tupper’s full remarks from Tuesday’s edition of “State of Play with Peter Alexander” here: