Trump rolls back tariffs on dozens of food products

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order allowing a range of food products, including coffee, bananas and beef, to be exempt from sweeping tariffs.

The move comes as his administration faces increasing pressure from rising prices. While Trump has previously downplayed cost-of-living concerns, he has focused on the issue since the Republican Party’s poor performance in last week’s election.

The dozens of items on the White House’s exemption list range from avocados and tomatoes to coconuts and mangoes.

The Trump administration said in a statement on Friday that these goods cannot be produced in sufficient quantities domestically.

Trump has long said that the current 10% base tariff on imports from all countries and additional duties imposed on many trading partners would not lead to higher prices for U.S. consumers. He also said affordability is a “new word” and a “scam” from Democrats.

But the latest exemptions signal a reversal as the Trump administration seeks to lower prices by rolling back tariffs on some staple foods.

Economists have warned that companies will pass on the cost of the tariffs to their customers in the form of higher prices.

While inflation remained more moderate in September than many analysts expected, most items tracked in the Labor Department’s inflation report saw price increases; food products increased by 2.7% compared to last year.

The Trump administration’s new tariff exemptions for food products will take effect retroactively starting at midnight on Thursday, November 13, the White House said.

In another move to address consumer concerns about grocery prices, the Trump administration said it would lower import duties on coffee and bananas as part of trade deals with four Latin American countries.

This week, Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed to reduce coffee prices, which have risen nearly 20% in the United States this year.