Trump Demands DOJ Probe into Beef Price Hikes/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump has urged the Justice Department to investigate foreign-owned meat packers, accusing them of inflating U.S. beef prices. He claims collusion and price manipulation are harming American ranchers and food security. Industry experts and trade groups dispute the claims, citing supply shortages and strong consumer demand.
Beef Price Fixing Claims Quick Looks
- Trump accuses foreign-owned meat packers of colluding to inflate U.S. beef prices.
- Calls for DOJ investigation, citing threats to food supply and harm to ranchers.
- Beef prices hit record highs, driven by drought, herd reductions, and high demand.
- Experts challenge Trump’s claims, noting stable ownership and no price-fixing evidence.
- JBS, largest U.S. beef packer, previously settled a price-fixing case in 2022.
- GOP senators back Trump, citing volatility and antitrust concerns.
- Industry says packers are losing money, despite record beef prices.
- Sen. Cramer pushes renewed probe, citing long-standing market concerns.
- Meat Institute denies wrongdoing, blames tight cattle supply for high costs.
- Bipartisan concern over food prices, continuing trend from Biden administration.
Deep Look
Trump Calls for DOJ Investigation into Foreign Meat Packers Over Soaring Beef Prices
President Donald Trump on Friday accused foreign-owned meat processing companies of manipulating beef prices in the U.S., calling on the Department of Justice to launch an immediate investigation. The move comes just days after Republicans faced electoral setbacks in races where economic concerns, especially rising grocery costs, dominated voter sentiment.
Posting on social media, Trump claimed without presenting evidence that large meat packers are engaging in “illicit collusion, price fixing, and price manipulation” to drive up beef prices. He emphasized that the action was intended to support American ranchers and safeguard the nation’s food supply from foreign control.
“We will always protect our American Ranchers,” Trump wrote, blaming “Majority Foreign Owned Meat Packers” for inflating prices and putting food security at risk. The comments follow backlash from ranchers after Trump suggested the U.S. might import beef from Argentina to bring prices down.
What’s Driving the Beef Price Surge?
Beef prices have reached all-time highs, driven by a range of factors — not least a prolonged drought and declining cattle herds, which have pushed U.S. herd sizes to their lowest levels in decades. Trump’s previous tariffs on Brazilian beef have also restricted import flow, further tightening the supply.
Despite these constraints, consumer demand remains robust, which economists say is sustaining the high prices. Glynn Tonsor, who heads the Meat Demand Monitor at Kansas State University, noted that beef demand has held strong because consumers remain willing and able to pay.
Tonsor also pointed out that the ownership structure of the meatpacking industry has remained largely unchanged in recent years, undermining the claim that foreign ownership is a new or worsening factor.
Concentration and Past Scrutiny
The U.S. beef market is dominated by four major meat packers, a concentration that has sparked decades of concern among farmers, lawmakers, and regulators. But Derrell Peel, an agricultural economist at Oklahoma State University, said there’s no clear evidence that these companies are wielding undue market power to fix prices.
He added that attempts to break up large processors could backfire, raising consumer prices further while lowering returns for cattle producers.
“The packing industry in this country has been investigated and researched for 50 years,” Peel said, expressing doubt that another DOJ probe would deliver meaningful results for consumers or ranchers.
GOP Senators Rally Behind Trump’s Call
Trump’s call for action has received support from Republican lawmakers. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said he, along with Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT), met with Trump at the White House to discuss volatility in beef markets. Mullin compared the current situation to a 2019 antitrust lawsuit against large meat processors.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) has also pushed for a renewed investigation, saying the issue has persisted since March 2020 and remains unresolved. His office said the current economic climate justifies reopening the case.
Spotlight on JBS and the Meat Industry
JBS, a Brazilian-based meatpacking giant and the largest U.S. beef processor, has faced legal challenges before. In 2022, JBS agreed to pay $52.5 million to settle allegations that it and others colluded to limit cattle slaughter and inflate beef prices. However, the company denied any wrongdoing.
Today, JBS employs over 72,000 people in the U.S. and earns about half of its annual revenue from American operations.
The North American Meat Institute, which represents JBS and other meat processors, strongly denied Trump’s allegations. President and CEO Julie Anna Potts said beef packers have been financially squeezed by tight cattle supplies and ongoing consumer demand.
“For more than a year, beef packers have been operating at a loss,” Potts said. She noted that the beef industry is heavily regulated and that USDA data confirms current losses are significant, with challenges likely to continue into 2026.
Food Prices: A Political Battleground
Trump’s move continues a bipartisan effort to address rising food costs, especially meat prices, that began during President Joe Biden’s administration. Biden had met with small farmers and ranchers to promote increased competition in the food supply chain. Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Trump defeated in the 2024 election, also pledged to crack down on “price gouging” by food companies and retailers.
Now back in office, Trump’s administration appears to be taking a more direct approach, placing blame squarely on foreign-owned corporations and demanding immediate action from federal prosecutors.
Whether the DOJ acts on Trump’s request — or whether such an investigation leads to policy changes — remains to be seen. But with food prices continuing to weigh heavily on voters and policy debates, beef may remain at the center of America’s economic and political plate.
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