Trump Announces $12 Billion Farm Bailout Amid Trade War Fallout
Relief package targets Kansas staples including wheat, corn, and soybeans as China retaliates against U.S. tariffs.
WASHINGTON DC — President Trump will unveil a $12 billion bailout package for American farmers Monday during a White House roundtable, providing emergency relief to agricultural producers whose finances have been hurt by his administration's trade war with China. The rescue package represents an acknowledgment that Trump's tariff policies have damaged the agriculture sector, particularly as China—the largest buyer of American crops like soybeans—has halted purchases of U.S. farm products in retaliation this year.
The relief funds, distributed primarily through the Agriculture Department's Farmer Bridge Assistance program, will support producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, cattle, wheat, and potatoes. American farmers have warned of the worst crisis since the 1980s as China has shifted purchasing to Brazil, Argentina, and other markets. The bailout highlights the limitations of Trump's trade strategy, which relies on tariffs as leverage for negotiating new deals but has created immediate hardship for rural communities that strongly supported his campaigns.
This marks the second major farm bailout under Trump's leadership, following more than $20 billion in support during his first term when China similarly boycotted U.S. products. While China recently agreed to purchase 12 million metric tons of soybeans this year and 25 million tons annually for the next three years following an October trade truce, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday the relief money would help farmers with financing and planning. "We are going to create this bridge," Bessent stated, emphasizing agriculture's forward-looking nature amid ongoing trade uncertainties.
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