Republican senators pressed Vice President JD Vance at a private luncheon on Tuesday to abandon the White House’s plan to increase imports of beef from Argentina, a back-and-forth that grew unexpectedly heated, according to attendees.
It amounted to an uncommon protest from G.O.P. lawmakers who have largely deferred to President Trump in his second term on most matters both foreign and domestic. American ranchers were furious last week when the White House announced it would quadruple the amount of Argentine beef it allows into the country annually at a lower tariff rate.
Mr. Vance arrived on Capitol Hill to discuss Mr. Trump’s trade war ahead of a series of votes Democrats plan to force overturning the emergencies the president declared to impose tariffs on Brazil and Canada. Instead, Mr. Vance received what Senator Steve Daines, Republican of Montana, called “an earful” about beef.
“Let’s just say, message received,” Mr. Daines said, noting that he and other senators representing major cattle-producing states had spoken up on the issue.
“The point I made is we ought to work with our ranchers rather than import more,” said Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota.
Mr. Vance “was open and receptive” to senators’ message, Mr. Hoeven said, “and indicated strong support for our ranchers.”
The White House has advanced the idea of importing more beef from Argentina in a bid to lower red meat prices, which are at a record high. Mr. Trump has showered the Latin American nation with economic support, including providing President Javier Milei a $20 billion lifeline ahead of his midterm elections.
Republican lawmakers have since said they have received hundreds of calls from upset ranchers in their states, and many of them, including Mr. Hoeven, have privately reached out to the White House to register their unhappiness.
“It was good that a number of people spoke up about their concerns for beef producers in their states,” Senator Deb Fischer, Republican of Nebraska, said. “It was good that the vice president heard that.”
Mr. Trump last week suggested on social media that 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, including a 50% Tariff on Brazil.”
“It would be nice if they would understand that,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Catie Edmondson covers Congress for The Times.
The post G.O.P. Senators Urge Vance to Cancel Plan to Increase Beef Imports appeared first on New York Times.
