According to recent ABC7 Eyewitness News reporting, President Donald Trump announced Friday that he was scrapping U.S. tariffs on beef, coffee, tropical fruits, and a broad swath of other commodities. This dramatic move comes amid mounting pressure on his administration to combat high consumer prices better.

Trump has built his second term around imposing steep levies on goods imported into the U.S. to encourage domestic production and boost the U.S. economy. This sudden reversal of his core tariff strategy on numerous dietary staples represents a significant policy shift, particularly following recent off-year elections where voters cited economic concerns as their top issue, resulting in big wins for Democrats in Virginia, New Jersey, and other key races around the country.

Inflation, despite Trump’s pronouncements that it has vanished since he took office in January, remains elevated, further increasing pressure on U.S. consumers. The executive order removes tariffs on tea, fruit juice, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and certain fertilizers—many of which aren’t domestically produced.

The White House explained the reductions as no longer necessary following framework trade agreements reached with Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Argentina. However, Democrats were quick to paint Friday’s move as an acknowledgement that Trump’s policies were hurting American pocketbooks, with Virginia Democratic Representative Don Beyer characterizing it as the administration finally admitting tariffs raise consumer prices.    

The administration argues that tariffs generate government income without meaningfully affecting grocery store prices

The Trump administration has consistently maintained that tariffs bolster government revenue without significantly impacting grocery store prices. However, Democrats quickly characterized Friday’s announcement as a tacit admission that Trump’s trade policies are financially burdening American families.

“President Trump is finally admitting what we always knew: his tariffs are raising prices for the American people,” stated Virginia Democratic Representative Don Beyer. “After getting drubbed in recent elections because of voters’ fury that Trump has broken his promises to fix inflation, the White House is trying to cast this tariff retreat as a ‘pivot to affordability.'”

The Tariff Policy Context

Trump implemented sweeping tariffs on most countries globally in April. Despite economic evidence showing that tariffs increase consumer costs, he and his administration continue to assert that they don’t affect prices.

Record-high beef prices have sparked particular concern, prompting Trump to pledge action. His tariffs on Brazil, a major beef exporter, had raised costs for American consumers.

Scope of the Executive Order

Trump’s executive order eliminates tariffs on tea, fruit juice, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and certain fertilizers. Many covered products aren’t domestically produced, rendering tariffs intended to stimulate U.S. production ineffective. Nevertheless, removing these levies should translate to lower consumer prices.

Industry Response

The Food Industry Association, representing retailers, producers, and related businesses, praised Trump’s decision to provide “swift tariff relief,” acknowledging that import taxes constitute “an important factor” within a “complex mix” of supply chain challenges.

“President Trump’s proclamation to reduce tariffs on a substantial volume of food imports is a critical step in ensuring continued adequate supply at prices consumers can afford,” the association stated.

Administration Rationale

The White House explained Friday that some tariffs originally imposed months earlier on nearly every trading partner had become unnecessary following subsequent trade negotiations. The announcement follows framework agreements reached with Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Argentina, designed to expand U.S. firms’ access to these markets for industrial and agricultural exports while potentially reducing tariffs on their agricultural imports.

Presidential Preview

During a Fox News Channel interview with Laura Ingraham earlier in the week, Trump foreshadowed the tariff adjustments.

“Coffee, we’re going to lower some tariffs,” the president indicated. “We’re going to have some coffee come in.”