Donald Trump insisted that he loves American cattle ranchers. In 2025, he said, “The Cattle Ranchers, who I love, don’t understand that the only reason they are doing so well, for the first time in decades, is because I put Tariffs on cattle coming into the United States.”
All of which means cattle ranchers are understandably betrayed by Trump’s latest plan to allow large volumes of cheap beef to be imported without any tariffs. The move is widely expected to depress domestic beef prices, undercut herd rebuilding, and prioritize Trump’s political goals over the ranchers.
Trump has done his best to paint this as him doing them a favor: “We want to get the beef prices down, so we’ll get them down a little bit, and that’s what people want. That’s what the voters want, and that’s what I want. The ranchers are great – they’re my people. I love the ranchers, they’ve done a fantastic job. But they admit that we need a little help.”
“It just sucks”
It’s safe to say Montana ranchers and their representatives aren’t taking this well. USA Today spoke to three of them who can’t believe Trump has stabbed them in the back. They report that rancher and president of the Montana Cattlemen’s Association Tim Brunner was “surprised” to visit a cattle auction and realize how cheaply cows were selling, and that he “largely blames” Trump. Speaking from his ranch, Brunner said, “It’s absolutely idiotic” and detailed how Trump’s plans will mean he’ll have to sell cattle at cheaper prices.
Gus Mundt, a fourth-generation Montana rancher sounded despondent, saying simply “It just sucks” and that he’s bracing for tough times to come, “Now I’ve got to think about having to save again.”
Richard Liebert, also a rancher and a former president of the Montana Cattlemen’s Association, similarly didn’t mince his words, saying Trump’s move was a “triple whammy” and “This is like the perfect storm of crap.”
Those words have been echoed by their Republican representatives. In a rare break with the White House, Montana Senator Tim Sheehy (who is a cattle rancher) said he’d actively tried to dissuade Trump from importing so much beef, with Sen. Tom Cotton describing the policy as “ill-advised.”
Sheehy went on to specifically warn that Trump’s policies will make life miserable for some of Trump’s fiercest supporters: “I’ve advised President Trump against this course of action for a year because American ranchers have been struggling against the packer monopoly for decades, and this will further harm them – most of whom are MAGA Republicans.”
And of course, all this comes against the backdrop of ongoing tariff chaos. The latest is an apparent trade war with Canada that will reportedly see beer and cheese hit with a 50% tariff.
Published: Aug 27, 2026 08:28 am