President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order to exempt a wide range of food imports, including beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas, from widespread tariffs imposed earlier this year in nearly all countries, the White House said.
The move is part of a major push by Trump and his top officials to address Americans’ growing concern about persistently high grocery prices.
The new waivers – which take effect retroactively at midnight Thursday – mark a sharp setback for Trump, who has long insisted that his import tariffs are not fueling inflation.
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They come after a series of victories for Democrats in state and local elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York, where affordability was a key issue.
Trump has shaken up the global trading system by imposing 10% base tariffs on imports from all countries, plus additional specific tariffs that vary.
Friday’s decree followed framework trade agreements announced Thursday that will eliminate tariffs on certain foods and other items imported from Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador once those agreements are finalized.
Trump has focused squarely on the issue of affordability in recent weeks, insisting that any cost increases were caused by policies enacted by former President Joe Biden, and not by his own tariff policies.
Consumers remain frustrated by high grocery prices, which economists say have been driven in part by import tariffs and could rise further next year as companies begin to pass on the full weight of import duties.
With information from Reuters.
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