President Donald Trump on Thursday lifted the 40% tariffs on Brazilian beef, coffee, cocoa, and fruit, undoing trade penalties he put in place earlier this summer.
The decision marks a major shift in US policy and comes as the White House tries to ease rising food costs that have frustrated shoppers across the country.
The new order, which takes effect for imports arriving on or after November 13, means the US may now have to refund money collected while the tariffs were in place.
The White House said the change is part of a broader effort to lower everyday prices, especially on food items that many American families buy often.
Brazil is the largest supplier of coffee to the United States, providing about one-third of what Americans drink each year.
The country has also become a growing source of beef, especially the kind used for burgers.
When Trump first imposed the steep tariffs in July, importers rushed to store coffee and other goods in bonded warehouses, where items can be held without paying duties.
Many of those bags of Brazilian coffee are expected to move quickly now. "You can expect some thousands of bags of Brazilian coffee ... to start moving," said commodities analyst Judith Ganes, Reuters reported.
Retail coffee prices rose as much as 40% this year, driven by the tariffs and weather problems that hurt crop production.
The higher costs fed into growing concerns about inflation and pushed Trump's approval numbers to their lowest point since returning to office.
🚨 JUST IN: In a massive affordability move, President Trump removes tariffs on COFFEE and BEEF from Brazil, along with other agricultural products
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 20, 2025
Trump has a PLAN! 🇺🇸
The order applies to Brazilian imports to America on or after November 13th. pic.twitter.com/T6y2Q2z5H5
Donald Trump Aims to Ease Americans' Cost of Living
By rolling back the tariffs, the administration hopes to bring down prices for families before the holiday season.
Brazil welcomed the decision. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he was glad the 40% tariff was gone, and industry groups in Brazil praised the outcome.
The country's beef exporters called the move a sign that recent trade talks were working and said they would continue trying to expand in the US market.
Trump's order did not address the political dispute that originally triggered the July penalties.
At the time, his administration said the tariffs were tied to Brazil's prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, a close Trump ally, who was accused of trying to overturn the 2022 election.
Several Brazilian officials, including a Supreme Court justice, were also hit with sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act.
According to Politico, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Trump wanted to "wipe the slate clean" and focus on lowering the cost of living.
He added, "The president's going to focus on the small things that touch Americans' pocketbook."
Originally published on vcpost.com
