Trump wants to buy beef from this South American country after giving it billions of dollars
Amid rising beef prices in the U.S., American President Donald Trump says he plans to turn to a South American ally.
Donald Trump has defended his plan to import beef from Argentina, amid a shortage in the United States that has led to a steep rise in prices.
Speaking to reporters at the weekend, the U.S. president said he is “not talking about [buying] that much” beef from the South American country, but insisted: “If we do that, it would bring our beef prices down.”
Trump eager to help “a very good ally”
Trump’s beef plan comes after his administration sent a $20 billion financial lifeline to Argentina, a nation in the midst of a deep economic crisis under the U.S. president’s right-wing ally, Javier Milei.
The White House is also exploring a further $20 billion injection into the ailing country’s finances.
Trump declared that a deal to import beef “would help Argentina, which we consider a very good country, a very good ally”.
“Putting U.S. ranchers on the losing end”
Reacting to Trump’s remarks, the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association complained of an import strategy that “benefits foreign suppliers and multinational packers, while putting U.S. ranchers on the losing end”.
In a statement released on Monday, the organization called on Trump to “show genuine American-first leadership by prioritizing strong domestic production”.
“They’re fighting for their life”
Asked about domestic cattle farmers’ concerns on Sunday, the president said: “[In Argentina] they’re fighting for their life - nothing is benefiting Argentina. Do you understand what that means?
"They have no money, they have no anything - they’re fighting so hard to survive. If can help them survive in a free world…
“I happen to like the president of Argentina. I think he’s trying to do the best he can, but don’t make it sound like they’re doing great. They are dying, alright? They’re dying.”
How much has the price of beef gone up in the U.S.?
As polls show concern among Americans about rising household costs, beef - a consistently high-demand daily food item in the U.S. - has experienced a notable increase in prices.
In late September, the U.S.’s Department of Agriculture said the cost of beef and veal had gone up by just under 14% since August 2024.
This has been put down to factors such as a reduction in America’s cattle population due to droughts, and the impact of Trump’s heavy tariffs on imports from Brazil, a major exporter of beef to the U.S.
Beef’s popularity among American consumers is illustrated by a 2024 study published by the National Library of Medicine, which found that just over 21% of the U.S. population consumes a hamburger on any given day.
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