President Donald Trump has ignited a political and economic firestorm with his recent call for a federal investigation into the U.S. meatpacking industry, accusing major foreign-owned companies of price fixing and collusion that he claims are driving up beef prices for American consumers. The announcement, made on November 7, 2025, comes amid rising public anxiety over food costs and mounting criticism from both political allies and opponents regarding the administration’s approach to supporting U.S. ranchers and managing international trade.
According to Newsweek and UPI, Trump took to Truth Social on Friday to declare, “I have asked the DOJ to immediately begin an investigation into the Meat Packing Companies who are driving up the price of Beef through Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation.” He went on to emphasize, “We will always protect our American Ranchers, and they are being blamed for what is being done by Majority Foreign Owned Meat Packers, who artificially inflate prices, and jeopardize the security of our Nation’s food supply.” Trump demanded swift action, stating, “Action must be taken immediately to protect Consumers, combat Illegal Monopolies, and ensure these Corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American People.”
The timing of this announcement is notable, coming just days after Republican setbacks in key elections where Democrats focused on the rising cost of living. Beef prices have surged by approximately 13.9 percent over the past year, with the average price for 100 percent ground beef reaching $6.32 per pound and uncooked beef steaks climbing 16.6 percent, as reported by the Consumer Price Index and cited by Newsweek. These increases have put pressure on American households and prompted a wave of concern from ranchers and lawmakers alike.
Trump’s social media posts underscored the disparity between cattle prices and consumer beef prices, noting, “While Cattle Prices have dropped substantially, the price of Boxed Beef has gone up — Therefore, you know that something is 'fishy.' We will get to the bottom of it very quickly. If there is criminality, those people responsible will pay a steep price!”
Attorney General Pam Bondi responded quickly, announcing on X (formerly Twitter) that the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division was already working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out the president’s directive. “Our investigation is underway! My Antitrust Division led by @AAGSlater has taken the lead in partnership with our friend @SecRollins at @USDA,” Bondi posted, referencing Abigail "Gail" Slater and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The meatpacking industry is highly consolidated, with the top four companies—American firms Tyson and Cargill, along with Brazilian-owned JBS and National—controlling about 85 percent of the U.S. market, according to Farm Action and reported by UPI. This concentration, critics argue, allows meatpackers to suppress prices paid to ranchers while keeping consumer prices high. The issue of market manipulation is not new; in October, Cargill and Tyson agreed to pay $87.5 million to settle a beef price-fixing case, denying any wrongdoing, while JBS paid $83.5 million earlier in 2025 to resolve a separate cattle price-fixing suit.
Trump’s latest move has intersected with another brewing controversy: his administration’s plan to increase beef imports from Argentina. The president authorized a $20 billion loan to Argentina’s government and facilitated an additional $20 billion in financing from private sources, a move described by Newsweek as a bailout to Argentine President Javier Milei. In October, Trump announced plans to quadruple the tariff quota for imported Argentine beef from 20,000 to 80,000 metric tons, aiming to flood the U.S. market with cheaper beef and drive down prices for consumers. Imports above this quota would still face a steep 26.4 percent tariff.
While the White House has argued that this strategy will provide economic relief for American families and, in the long term, support ranchers through a new USDA initiative to expand cattle herds, the plan has drawn sharp criticism from U.S. cattle producers and several Republican lawmakers. A Wyoming beef producer called the decision “an absolute betrayal to the American cattle rancher,” and Farm Action, a leading advocacy group, stated, “President Trump’s plan to buy beef from Argentina is a betrayal of the American rancher. Those of us who raise cattle have finally started to see what profit looks like after facing years of high input costs and market manipulation by the meatpacking monopoly.”
Republican Representative Thomas Massie echoed these concerns, posting on X, “This is not America first! We don’t need the U.S. flooded with beef from Argentina after our cattle ranchers have taken a beating over the last several years.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, another prominent Republican voice, told Semafor in October, “This isn’t the way to do it. It’s created a lot of uncertainty in that market. So I’m hoping that the White House has gotten the message.”
Trump’s approach has also faced resistance from within his own party. He recently met with Republican senators from beef-producing states—Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Tim Sheehy of Montana, and Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma—all of whom oppose the increased imports. Hyde-Smith, whose family are cattle ranchers, has been especially vocal in her opposition.
Amid the political wrangling, the White House has tried to strike a balance. Spokesperson Anna Kelly told Newsweek, “President Trump pledged to protect America’s ranchers and deliver economic relief for everyday Americans. The administration is accomplishing both by expanding beef imports from Argentina to lower consumer prices in the short term while rolling out a new USDA initiative that will support ranchers and expand cattle herd sizes to keep prices lower in the long term.”
Yet, skepticism remains among many in the industry and in Congress. Critics argue that importing more beef into a market already dominated by a handful of powerful packers may not deliver lower prices to consumers, and could further undermine the livelihoods of American ranchers. As Farm Action put it, “Importing more beef into this rigged system will not lower costs for families or restore fair markets for producers.”
While Trump maintains that overall grocery prices are going down, he has conceded that beef costs are rising, with a 0.6 percent increase in average grocery prices from July to August 2025 marking the largest month-to-month jump in three years. The battle over beef prices and imports is likely to remain a flashpoint as the administration seeks to balance consumer relief with the interests of American producers.
As the Department of Justice’s investigation unfolds, all eyes are on whether the probe will yield evidence of illegal collusion or price manipulation—and whether the administration’s efforts to stabilize the beef market will ultimately benefit American families or deepen the rift with U.S. ranchers.
