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By Hugh Cameron and Shane Croucher
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U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration would import beef from Argentina to help tackle persistently high prices as the supply is throttled by drought, a flesh-eating pest and other issues affecting cattle.
“We would buy some beef from Argentina,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled from Florida to Washington, D.C., on Sunday. “If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.”
Newsweek has contacted the White House for further comment.
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Why It Matters
Trump is acutely aware of voters’ concerns about inflation, a key issue that helped to deliver him the White House in the 2024 election—and one that could hurt him in next year’s midterms if the cost of living remains a problem under his leadership.
The announcement also comes as the Trump White House has sought to help ally Javier Milei, the libertarian president of Argentina, avert an economic crisis in his country with a $20 billion bailout, a move that has sparked criticism from American farmers and some within his own MAGA movement.
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What To Know
The price of beef, alongside other everyday essentials, has soared this year largely because screwworm outbreaks have weakened already diminished cattle herds.
According to the most recent data from the Department of Labor, the beef and veal index rose 13.9 percent in the 12 months to August, with uncooked beef steaks up 16.6 percent. Experts believe beef prices will remain elevated for the foreseeable future, given the lengthy process of replenishing herds and high tariffs on key exporting nations such as Brazil.
The White House has acknowledged the issue. On Friday, Trump said the administration was close to a “deal on beef” that could lower prices “pretty soon.” He did not elaborate.
Those representing American beef producers have warned that there is no quick fix to the issues plaguing the industry, with the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association saying that Trump’s comments “risk obscuring the real story.”
“America’s ranchers have weathered years of rising input costs, drought, and market shifts with unwavering resilience,” the organization said in a news release. “Today’s beef prices are a direct reflection of these challenges.”
“When policymakers hint at intervention or suggest quick fixes, they can shake the market’s foundation and directly impact the livelihoods of ranchers who depend on stable, transparent pricing,” added Justin Tupper, the association’s president. “Sudden price moves make it harder for independent producers to plan, invest, and keep their operations running.”
Sylvain Charlebois, a professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University, Canada, told Newsweek that importing beef from Argentina would “not significantly” address the price issues faced by consumers in the U.S.
“Argentina exports only a small amount of beef to the United States—roughly 20,000 tons a year compared with more than 12 million tons of U.S. production,” he said. “So even a sharp increase would barely move retail prices.”
A beef deal with Argentina also risks further alienating U.S. farmers, many of whom have expressed frustration with the administration over its extension of a $20 billion lifeline—an amount that may soon double—to the South American country to prop up Milei’s economy ahead of the midterm elections on October 26. Soybean croppers in particular view Argentina as a direct competitor and were angered when, following the initial agreement, Argentina eased export restrictions and began shipping large quantities of soybeans to China.
Charlebois said cattle farmers had in the past fought against expanding imports from South America on similar grounds, and that given the difficulties already facing the industry, Trump should anticipate “strong opposition.”
“Given today’s tight margins and high production costs, the political backlash from cattle producers would be swift and intense,” he said.
When a reporter asked how the U.S.’s embattled beef producers might feel about a deal that benefits Argentina, Trump responded: “Argentina is fighting for its life, young lady. You don’t know anything about it. They’re fighting for their life. Nothing is benefiting Argentina.
“They’re fighting for their life. You understand what that means? They have no money. They have no anything. They’re fighting so hard to survive. If I 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. All right? They’re dying.”
What People Are Saying
American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland wrote on X in September: “The frustration is overwhelming. U.S. soybean prices are falling, harvest is underway, and farmers read headlines not about securing a trade agreement with China, but that the U.S. is extending $20 billion in economic support to Argentina.”
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “We would buy some beef from Argentina. If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down because our groceries are down, our energy prices are down. I think we’re going to have $2 gasoline pretty soon—we’re getting close—and everything’s down. The one thing that’s kept up is beef. And if we buy some beef—I’m not talking about that much—from Argentina, it would help Argentina, which we consider a very good country, a very good ally in a place.
“Although I must tell you, if you take a look now, South America is turning. Those South American countries are starting to turn very much toward us. They’re getting away from socialism, and you can go right down the pack. But they are starting to turn. It’s pretty amazing.”
What Happens Next
Trump did not specify how much beef would be imported under the potential deal. Meanwhile, Argentines head to the polls on Sunday, with Milei’s party hoping to gain seats and strengthen its minority position.
Update 10/20/25, 7:49 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Sylvain Charlebois.
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