President Donald Trump has finalized a trade agreement granting Argentina sharply expanded access to the U.S. beef market, a move projected to generate up to $800 million in additional exports for Buenos Aires and one that is already drawing resistance from Republican lawmakers and U.S. cattle industry groups.
Argentina's foreign ministry said the agreement provides "an unprecedented expansion of preferential access" for Argentine beef, allowing up to 100,000 metric tons to enter the U.S. market. That total includes an additional 80,000 tons by 2026 on top of the existing 20,000-ton quota. Argentine officials estimate the expanded access could translate into roughly $800 million in added annual exports to the United States.
The White House framed the deal as consistent with Trump's broader trade agenda. "President Trump pledged to ink fairer trade deals while supporting our nation's agriculture industry. Promises made, promises kept!" White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told NewsNation, according to reporting cited by The Hill.
For Argentina, the agreement represents a significant commercial and diplomatic gain. President Javier Milei, a close political ally of Trump, has repeatedly emphasized export-led growth and previously welcomed the trade framework with language echoing Trump's own campaign slogan, saying: "As you can see, we are strongly committed to making Argentina great again."
The beef agreement is part of a wider set of trade discussions the administration has pursued with several Latin American countries. The Hill reported that the Trump administration announced in November that it had reached trade frameworks with Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala. Argentina's foreign ministry also said the U.S. "reaffirmed its commitment" to reviewing tariffs on Argentine aluminum and steel, suggesting the beef deal was part of a broader negotiation.
Inside the United States, however, the announcement has sharpened tensions within Trump's own party. More than a dozen House Republicans warned in an October letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that expanding Argentine beef imports could harm domestic producers. The lawmakers said increased foreign supply risked depressing cattle prices and weakening the position of U.S. ranchers.
Industry groups have echoed those concerns. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association has previously criticized plans to raise beef imports from Argentina, particularly at a time when many U.S. producers are facing high feed costs and herd reductions. Lawmakers from cattle-heavy states have argued that the policy undercuts domestic agriculture while benefiting foreign competitors.
The administration has countered that the move could help ease food inflation. Reuters reported in October that the White House framed the proposed increase as a way to lower consumer beef prices while pairing the policy with support measures for U.S. ranchers. Grocery prices remain a politically sensitive issue, and beef has been among the most expensive protein categories for American households.
The political calculus is delicate. Trump has positioned himself as a staunch defender of "America First" agriculture, yet the deal asks domestic ranchers to absorb increased competition in the name of trade leverage and consumer relief. With cattle producers representing a core Republican constituency, the agreement highlights the inherent trade-offs between protecting producers and easing prices at the checkout counter.
