President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday rolling back tariffs on a variety of grocery staples, including beef, coffee, tomatoes, and bananas.
The move, the White House said, is aimed at lowering food prices and helping American families manage household costs.
Certain imported agricultural products are now exempt from reciprocal tariffs imposed under previous trade actions, particularly those that cannot be produced in sufficient quantities domestically or have experienced sharp price increases.
Trump’s directive states, “I have determined that certain agricultural products shall not be subject to the reciprocal tariff imposed [under previous orders].”
The announcement comes amid a broader economic debate over tariffs, which the administration has long defended as costs borne by foreign exporters rather than U.S. consumers.
Critics, however, argue that the rollback acknowledges tariffs can, in fact, contribute to inflation.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled the decision earlier in the week, noting that tariffs would be lifted on imported items essential to U.S. consumers but not grown domestically, such as coffee, bananas, and other fruits, as the Conservative Brief reported.
He told Fox News, “You’re going to see some substantial announcements over the next couple of days in terms of things we don’t grow here in the United States — coffee being one of them, bananas, other fruits, things like that. That will bring the prices down very quickly.”
The White House framed the tariff reduction as part of Trump’s larger strategy to “restore affordability” amid lingering inflation pressures on key food categories.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s trade agenda, saying tariffs are “a tax hike on foreign countries that have been ripping us off” and are designed to protect American industry.
Critics, however, have been quick to seize on the rollback as proof that the tariff policy had negative consequences. Scott Lincicome, vice president of economics at the libertarian Cato Institute, wrote that it was “comical” for the administration to previously claim tariffs did not affect U.S. consumer prices while now cutting them to deliver savings to Americans.
The move follows a series of bilateral trade deals this week with Argentina, Guatemala, Ecuador, and El Salvador. These agreements reduce duties on imported produce that cannot be grown in bulk in the U.S., including bananas.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described the adjustment as part of the give-and-take of international negotiations, characterizing Trump’s approach as leveraging tariffs for negotiation advantage and adjusting them when American consumers or businesses would benefit.
The National Coffee Association welcomed the rollback, highlighting the impact on consumers and U.S. coffee businesses.
NCA President Bill Murray said it would ease cost-of-living pressures for the two-thirds of Americans who drink coffee daily and secure supplies for U.S. companies that generate $43 in economic value for every $1 of imported coffee.
Not all industries were pleased. The Distilled Spirits Council criticized the decision for excluding European and U.K. liquors such as Scotch, Cognac, and Irish whiskey, calling it a blow to the U.S. hospitality industry just as the holiday season begins.
Economists said the rollback reflects the political pressure on the Trump administration ahead of the 2026 election, as it seeks to curb food inflation without cutting domestic farm subsidies or broader trade protections.
