President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is eliminating U.S. tariffs on beef, coffee, tropical fruits, and a wide array of other commodities, signaling a major shift in his administration’s trade policy.
According to The Associated Press, the move comes amid growing political and public pressure over rising consumer prices.
Trump built his second term around imposing steep levies on imported goods, arguing that tariffs would boost domestic production and strengthen the U.S. economy.
But his sudden retreat on tariffs affecting everyday staples comes after voters in recent off-year elections cited economic concerns as a top issue, helping Democrats capture key wins in Virginia, New Jersey, and other states.
“We just did a little bit of a rollback on some foods like coffee,” Trump said aboard Air Force One as he flew to Florida hours after the announcement.
Pressed on whether tariffs contributed to higher consumer prices, Trump acknowledged, “I say they may, in some cases, have that effect. But to a large extent they’ve been borne by other countries.”
Democrats seized on the announcement as an implicit admission that Trump’s tariff policies were hurting consumers.
“President Trump is finally admitting what we always knew: his tariffs are raising prices for the American people,” said Virginia Democratic Rep. 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.’”
Trump signed an executive order removing tariffs on products including tea, fruit juice, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and certain fertilizers. Many of these items are not produced in the U.S., meaning the original tariffs had little effect on domestic production but contributed to higher import prices.
The Food Industry Association praised the move, calling it “a critical step ensuring continued adequate supply at prices consumers can afford,” noting that import taxes are a key factor in a “complex mix” of supply chain issues.
The White House said some tariffs were no longer necessary due to recent trade agreements with Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Argentina, which aim to increase U.S. exports while easing import restrictions.
Trump had previously hinted at the reductions in a Fox News interview, saying, “Coffee, we’re going to lower some tariffs. We’re going to have some coffee come in.” Friday’s executive order puts that promise into effect.
