WASHINGTON — Republicans on both sides of the Capitol are publicly and privately pushing back on President Donald Trump’s idea of importing beef from Argentina, with some making direct pleas to the White House to reverse course.
The issue came up during Senate Republicans' visit to the White House on Tuesday, according to Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb. Fischer said she also met with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Tuesday to discuss her concerns.
“It came up,” Thune told reporters. “I represent a beef-producing state. We have four times as many cattle as people.”
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that he is considering having the United States buy beef from Argentina. “We would buy some beef from Argentina,” he said, “If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.”
Republicans in Congress, who rarely speak critically of the president, have been open about their concerns.
“I’m really concerned about the direction that the president’s comments have shown that he may take,” Fischer said, when NBC News asked what her message to Trump and his administration was.
She posted on X on Tuesday that she has “deep concerns” with the proposed policy, saying, “I strongly encourage the Trump administration to focus on trade deals that benefit our ag producers—not imports that will do more harm than good.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who runs a cow-calf operation in his home state, said he told Trump on Wednesday that while cattle prices are low, foreign-owned meatpacking facilities are setting the price that Americans pay at the table.
“I think the president has definitely identified a problem we have,” Mullin said, “But the conversation is, you know, much bigger, and the president and I had a great conversation about it today.”
On the House side, during a Republican conference call Tuesday, Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, who has a large presence of cattle ranchers in her district, raised concerns about importing beef from Argentina, per a GOP source familiar with the meeting, and told colleagues she wants more information about it.
Eight House Republicans also sent a letter to the White House on Tuesday, asking for more information on the decision, saying that "any import policy must hold foreign suppliers to those same rigorous standards" that American industries are subject to.
"Introducing beef from countries with inconsistent safety or inspection records could undermine the confidence that U.S. ranchers have worked decades to earn," the House letter continued.
“In recent days, we’ve heard concerns from producers regarding reports that the U.S. may import beef from Argentina,” Rep. Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., wrote about the letter sent to Trump, “My @HouseGOP colleagues joined me in asking for clarity on the admin’s plans.”
Retiring Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska told NBC News it was not a popular proposal in his state, where cattle production is the leading agricultural industry.
“Our ranchers struggled for several years, and is now one of the few bright spots in our AG economy,” he said. “After the Administration loaned $40 billion to Argentina, and China is buying all their soybeans from Argentina instead of from the U.S., the suggestion we need to buy more beef from Argentina is flying like a lead balloon.”
Despite the concerns, Trump does not appear to be backing off. He posted on his Truth Social site Wednesday that his tariffs had "SAVED" cattle ranchers in the U.S.
"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," he 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!"
Rollins and other administration officials announced new actions "to strengthen the American beef industry," according to a release put out later Wednesday. “At USDA we are protecting our beef industry and incentivizing new ranchers to take up the noble vocation of ranching," Rollins said in the statement. "Today, USDA will immediately expedite deregulatory reforms, boost processing capacity, including getting more locally raised beef into schools, and working across the government to fix longstanding common-sense barriers for ranchers like outdated grazing restrictions."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., acknowledged there are members in his conference who are worried about the impacts on beef producers in the U.S. He said that after Hageman raised her concerns on the call, she connected with the U.S. trade representative and the White House, "and they’re having those thoughtful discussions.”
Johnson then went on to defend Trump’s trade policy broadly.
“The White House doesn’t want any unintended consequences,” Johnson said during his press conference. “What they’re trying to do is improve the lives of everyday Americans, make our economy work again and make sure that we are treated fairly by trading partners around the world. And there’s lots of complications and a lot of moving parts when you’re talking about trade agreements, renegotiating old trade agreements between, you know, over 100 nations all at once. But they’ve done an extraordinary job, and they’re working to fine-tune all those details.”
