Trump removes tariffs on farm goods in pivot to affordability
US President Donald Trump on Friday abruptly backed down on his signature “reciprocal” tariff strategy, cutting duties on a myriad of agricultural products popular with American consumers in the face of rising grocery prices and falling opinion poll numbers.
Trump, who claims that the cost of living has dropped since his return to office in January, signed an executive order retroactively exempting beef, coffee, green tea, bananas and many other farm products from his sweeping tariffs imposed on imports from nearly all countries.
The order came as US consumers and businesses have grown increasingly frustrated with higher prices under the Trump administration, marking a reversal for the Republican president, who has insisted that tariffs are necessary to protect American national security and workers and denied that they have pushed up inflation.
The rollback came after some recent surveys showed Trump’s approval ratings are now below 40 percent. Amid voter dissatisfaction with rising living costs, Democrats scored sweeping victories earlier this month in the New York mayoral election and the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.
The directive said the exemption would apply to designated farm products that entered the United States for consumption or were withdrawn from warehouses for consumption on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday.
Lower costs
The list issued by the White House showed that numerous agricultural products will no longer be subject to the so-called reciprocal tariffs. The other products include tomatoes, oranges, pineapples, dried shiitake mushrooms, cashew nuts and cocoa.
The US Chamber of Commerce welcomed Trump’s decision to “remove tariffs on coffee, bananas, beef and other imported goods that are staples for American families,” saying the elimination will help lower costs for Americans.
