Trump cuts tariffs on beef, coffee and other foods, in inflation U-turn. Image: BBC
(The Post News)- United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday, 14 November 2025 to exempt a wide range of everyday food imports from his tariff increases.
This announcement comes after the White House faces political and public pressure over growing grocery prices. Years of elevated inflation have squeezed household budgets, and delays in SNAP aid processing, worsened by the recent government shutdown, have intensified frustration among low-income families
Trump Tariffs Food Exemption Include, Coffee, Beef
According to reports the exemption cover a broad swath of products including coffee, cocoa, bananas, select beef products, and a variety of fresh produce like tomatoes, avocados, coconuts, oranges, and pineapples. The list also added several popular holiday spices, nutmeg, vanilla beans, cinnamon, and cardamom.
The move shows a reversal from Trump’s long held argument that tariffs would be paid “by other countries,” not U.S. consumers. It also contrasts with his messaging earlier this year, when he defended the levies as necessary to protect American workers and bolster domestic industry.
In a Truth Social post in August, Trump criticized Goldman Sachs after the firm reported that consumers had paid roughly 22% of tariff related costs through June. “For the most part, consumers aren’t even paying these tariffs,” he said.
The White House Leaves no Comment
The White House declined to comment on Friday’s announcement.
Over the past year, the administration has imposed tariffs of 75% on Brazilian beef. 15% on beef from New Zealand, the country’s two largest foreign suppliers. Domestic ranchers have also grappled with higher costs linked to tariffs on fertilizer, steel, and farming equipment.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall food-at-home prices rose 2.7% compared with the same month in 2024. But uncooked beef products climbed far more steeply, rising between 12% and 18%.
Coffee prices have increase even higher. Trump’s 50% tariff on Brazilian coffee, which supplies roughly one-third of America’s market. Contributed to a 21% year-over-year jump in August.
Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, Trump acknowledged that tariffs “may, in some cases” raise prices. Still, he insisted that “to a large extent they’ve been borne by other countries.”
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