U.S. Ranchers Call Trump a "Traitor" Over Beef Tariff Cuts

President Donald Trump announced a temporary 90-day waiver of out-of-quota tariffs on up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef imports, triggering fierce opposition from domestic cattle producers. Revealed via social media, the policy aims to slash retail ground beef prices by 25% and combat high grocery inflation ahead of the November midterm elections. The administration claimed foreign producers agreed to below-market pricing, which would supposedly grant the depleted U.S. cattle herd room to rebuild. However, agricultural groups like the National Cattlemen's Association immediately condemned the move, arguing that flooding the market with government-facilitated imports undermines local cattle prices, hurts multi-generational ranching families, and threatens long-term supply stability. Prominent Republican lawmakers from rural states also voiced strong concerns, asserting that domestic producers should not bear the burden of consumer cost-of-living relief. Live and feeder cattle futures dropped sharply following the announcement