Trump Waives Beef Tariffs as Ground Beef Prices Rise 24% Since He Took Office

Ground beef hit $6.89 per pound in July, up 24 percent since Trump's January 2025 inauguration, per Bureau of Labor Statistics data. U.S. cattle herds are at their smallest since the 1950s. On August 21, Trump announced a 90-day waiver allowing 300,000 metric tons of duty-free imported ground beef, with foreign exporters expected to offer a 25 percent discount. The waiver window covers the final stretch before November midterms.