President Donald Trump is preparing an executive order that will reduce tariffs on several widely consumed food imports, including beef, tomatoes, coffee and bananas, reported Bloomberg, citing a White House official familiar with the decision.
The move comes as the administration faces increasing pressure from voters frustrated by persistently high grocery prices and rising living costs.
While the full list of affected products and the scale of the tariff cuts have not yet been disclosed, the exemptions are expected to target commodities that the US cannot produce in sufficient quantities to meet domestic demand.
The White House has not publicly commented on the order, which is set to be signed Friday.
Pivot toward affordability as price pressures rise
The decision marks a notable shift for Trump, who has largely defended tariffs as central to his economic and trade strategy.
However, with consumer sentiment cooling and food costs remaining a top concern, the administration has increasingly highlighted affordability as a priority.
The White House official described the tariff reductions as consistent with the president’s pledge to adjust trade levies based on economic conditions and supply needs.
The move is also an implicit acknowledgment that prior tariff measures have added cost pressure to imported goods, affecting US consumers.
The administration has recently faced growing criticism that Trump’s trade policies have contributed to higher prices, particularly for groceries.
While Trump maintains that tariffs are offset in part by sellers lowering prices, senior officials have signaled a willingness to take additional steps to bring costs down.
Trade officials say exemptions align with broader strategy
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer hinted earlier Friday that tariff exemptions were imminent, noting that they align with the administration’s broader approach to providing relief for key goods and sectors.
“Now is the right time to… release some of these items the president said he was going to release,” Greer said.
“This is a natural outgrowth of exactly what the president signaled, and that’s what he’s doing today.”
The exemptions follow earlier guidance that the administration was preparing targeted tariff relief as voters increasingly voice dissatisfaction with food prices.
Balancing tariff policy with consumer concerns
The tariff reductions suggest the administration is seeking a greater balance between its protectionist trade stance and the need to address consumer cost pressures ahead of the next election cycle.
Food prices have remained a persistent source of voter dissatisfaction, and easing import levies could help improve affordability at the margin.
Trump and senior officials have consistently defended the use of tariffs, arguing they strengthen US negotiating power and domestic industries.
Still, the acknowledgment that additional affordability measures are needed reflects the political and economic pressure to respond to inflation concerns.
As the details of the tariff exemptions are finalized, analysts will be watching closely to assess their potential impact on grocery prices, trade relationships and broader inflation dynamics.
For now, the administration is positioning the move as a targeted step to ease costs without abandoning its long-standing tariff strategy.
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