WASHINGTON\u00a0\u2014\u00a0President Trump signed an executive order Friday to get rid of tariffs on a broad swath of commodities, including beef, coffee and tropical fruits. It\u2019s part of a response to pressure from consumers who complain prices are too high.<\/p>\n
The move comes after voters in off-year elections this month cited economic concerns as their top issue<\/a>, resulting in big wins for Democrats in races in Virginia and New Jersey.<\/p>\n The president signed the executive order after announcing that the U.S. reached framework agreements with Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador and Argentina designed to ease import levies on agricultural products produced in those countries. Trump suggested this week that he\u2019d be lowering tariffs on coffee to help increase its importation.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has insisted that tariffs helped fill government coffers and weren\u2019t a major factor in higher prices at grocery stores. But Democrats were quick to paint Friday\u2019s move as an acknowledgment that Trump\u2019s policies were hurting American pocketbooks. <\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump is finally admitting what we always knew: His tariffs are raising prices for the American people,\u201d Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer said in a statement. \u201cAfter getting drubbed in recent elections because of voters\u2019 fury that Trump has broken his promises to fix inflation, the White House is trying to cast this tariff retreat as a \u2018pivot to affordability.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Trump slapped tariffs on most countries<\/a> around the globe in April. He and his administration still say tariffs don\u2019t increase consumer prices, despite economic evidence<\/a> to the contrary.<\/p>\n Record-high beef prices<\/a> have been a particular concern, and Trump said he intended to take action to lower them. Trump\u2019s tariffs on Brazil<\/a>, a major beef exporter, had been a factor.<\/p>\n Trump signed an executive order that also removes tariffs on tea, fruit juice, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes and certain fertilizers. Some of the products covered aren\u2019t produced in the United States, meaning that tariffs meant to spur domestic production had little effect. <\/p>\n But reducing the tariffs likely still will mean lower prices for U.S. consumers. The Food Industry Assn., which represents retailers, producers and a variety of related industry firms and services, applauded Trump\u2019s move to provide \u201cswift tariff relief,\u201d noting that import U.S. taxes \u201care an important factor\u201d in a \u201ccomplex mix\u201d of supply chain issues.<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump\u2019s proclamation to reduce tariffs on a substantial volume of food imports is a critical step ensuring continued adequate supply at prices consumers can afford,\u201d the association said in a statement.<\/p>\n In explaining the tariff reductions, the White House said Friday that some of the original levies Trump relished imposing on nearly every country months ago no longer were necessary given the trade agreements he\u2019d since hammered out with key U.S. trading partners.<\/p>\n