Key Points
Tariffs lifted on beef, coffee, bananas, tomatoes and other staples amid rising consumer frustration.
Rollback tied to new framework trade deals with Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Shift comes after recent Democratic election wins where affordability dominated voter concerns.
US President Donald Trump has rolled back tariffs on more than 200 food products, including beef, coffee, bananas, tomatoes and orange juice, in an attempt to counter rising public frustration over high grocery prices. The move marks a sharp shift in policy for an administration that has long argued that sweeping tariffs do not contribute to a higher cost of living.
The decision was formalised through an executive order signed on Friday, 14 November 2025. It comes days after Democrats scored significant victories in off-year elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City, where voters cited affordability as their top concern. The tariff rollbacks will apply retroactively from midnight, 13 November 2025.
Grocery prices have risen steeply in recent months. Government data shows ground beef up nearly 13 per cent year-on-year and steaks almost 17 per cent, with both registering their highest increases in more than three years. Trump’s 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian beef, a major factor in those price jumps, is now being peeled back as part of the new package.
The tariff rollback is tied to fresh framework agreements with Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador. Once finalised, these deals will eliminate US duties on selected agricultural imports from the four countries. A senior administration official said the agreements were designed to bring down prices of items such as coffee and bananas and that retailers were expected to pass savings to consumers.
The US is also exploring a separate trade framework with Brazil. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira this week to discuss easing duties on Brazilian coffee exports. Although the new arrangements retain baseline tariffs of 10 per cent on most imports from Argentina, Guatemala and El Salvador, and 15 per cent on those from Ecuador, they remove duties on products not produced in the United States.
The administration has faced growing pressure over the impact of tariffs imposed earlier this year on nearly every country. While Trump continues to argue that inflation is rooted in policies enacted under former president Joe Biden, economists and voters have increasingly pointed to import duties as a contributor to higher prices.
Leaders in the four partner nations welcomed the agreements. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele called the announcement a sign of renewed trust between the countries. Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arevalo said the deal would improve the country’s investment climate, and Ecuador’s government described it as a boost for its export sector.
Senior US officials said more tariff exemptions and trade arrangements could follow before the end of the year, as the administration looks for ways to address public frustration over living costs. [Rh]
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