WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday his administration will channel money collected from tariffs to support American farmers who have been hurt by ongoing trade disputes. Speaking at the White House, Trump said producers would receive payments “for a little while” until his trade policies begin to benefit them.
“We’re going to take some of that tariff money that we’ve made and we’re going to give it to our farmers … who are, for a little while, going to be hurt until the tariffs kick in to their benefit,” Trump said. “Ultimately, the farmers are going to be making a fortune.”
The announcement comes as farm country grapples with low commodity prices, higher input costs and shrinking export markets. U.S. soybeans and other key crops have faced steep retaliatory tariffs overseas, particularly in China, which once accounted for more than half of U.S. soybean exports.
Trump didn’t offer specifics on how much tariff revenue would be allocated or when farmers could expect to see payments, but Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has said the agency is exploring options similar to past trade-aid programs. Those programs, launched during Trump’s first term, delivered billions of dollars in direct payments to farmers to offset losses from trade tensions.
Supporters of the new plan say it could provide a lifeline to producers caught in the crossfire of trade policy. Critics argue that using tariff money as a bailout ultimately shifts costs onto consumers and risks becoming a political tool. Legal questions over the scope of Trump’s tariff powers could also complicate the rollout.
Despite those challenges, Trump insisted the plan would shore up rural America. “Our farmers are patriots,” he said. “We’re not going to let them down.”