JBS Co-Owner Lobbied Trump to Cut Beef Tariffs
By Reuters
Reuters reports that Joesley Batista, billionaire co-owner of Brazilian meat giant JBS, met with President Donald Trump on August 20 and urged him to reduce a 26% tariff on Brazilian beef imports.
According to the Wall Street Journal account cited by Reuters, Batista argued that cheaper Brazilian beef could help bring down elevated U.S. prices.
The timing is notable: the following day, Trump said his administration would temporarily ease tariffs on beef imports as part of an effort to lower consumer prices. The episode underscores the tension between efforts to make beef cheaper for consumers and the interests of U.S. cattle producers, who face greater competition from lower-cost imports.
Reuters said it could not independently verify the Wall Street Journal’s account of the meeting.
Read more:
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/jbs-co-owner-lobbied-trump-lower-beef-import-tariffs-wsj-reports-2026-09-01/
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/how-a-brazilian-billionaire-helped-shape-trumps-beef-import-plan-9f969669
