Washington, Dec 9 – In a press‑briefing attended by farmers, legislators and senior staff, President Donald Trump rolled out a farm‑support plan worth billions while sharpening his criticism of rice imports from India and other Asian producers. He warned that tariffs would be applied with greater vigor to shield U.S. growers.
During the session, Trump outlined a new package that would funnel “$12 billion in economic assistance to American farmers,” financed through tariff revenue the administration is collecting from trade partners. “We’re really taking in trillions of dollars, if you think about it,” he explained, adding that countries had “took advantage of us like nobody’s ever seen.”
The president framed the aid as vital for stabilizing the agricultural sector after what he repeatedly labeled inherited inflation and falling commodity prices. “Farmers are an indispensable national asset, part of the backbone of America,” he said, emphasizing that tariff leverage was central to his strategy for reviving U.S. agriculture.
India emerged as a key example during an extended discussion on rice imports that a Louisiana farmer described as devastating for southern growers. CEO Meryl Kennedy of Kennedy Rice Mill cautioned the president that “countries… dumping rice into this country today” were hurting the market, noting that “the tariffs are working, but we need to double down.” She cited India, Thailand, and China as major sources of subsidized rice being sold in Puerto Rico, and pointed to a WTO case against India while urging tougher restrictions.
Trump pressed for concrete action. “Why is India not allowed to do that? They have to pay tariffs,” he said, directing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to explore possible measures. When informed that Indian firms owned “the two largest brands” in the U.S. retail rice market, he responded that tariffs would “solve the problem in two minutes.”
The discussion also covered broader issues of unfair trade, including soybean sales. Trump mentioned a recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and expressed confidence that China would purchase even more soybeans. Bessent highlighted that the Busan agreement with Xi had secured China’s purchase of at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans this season, followed by a minimum of 25 million tons annually for the next three years. He described the $11–$12 billion farm package as a critical “liquidity bridge” and suggested that Trump was “ushering in a new golden age for agriculture.”
Many in the room linked the Indian trade dispute to wider concerns about global competition and the future of U.S. commodity markets. Kennedy urged the administration to treat rice as “a national security issue,” calling it “a currency in many of these countries.” She warned that subsidized foreign rice was displacing U.S. products overseas, including in Puerto Rico, a once‑important market for American grain.
Trump repeatedly cited the need for tariff authority—now the subject of a Supreme Court case—as essential for confronting unfair practices. “If we had a president that said, ‘no, you can’t do that…’ we would have never lost our chip industry,” he said, tying the argument back to agricultural imports.
Several farmers pressed for swift implementation. Iowa producer Cordt Holub praised Trump’s “bridge payment” and suggested that domestic policies such as E15 could boost market demand. Trump replied, “So E15 is a big deal?” before pledging further review.
The event also marked a critique of the previous administration’s impact on rural economics. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett stated that “150,000 farms closed” during the Biden years and that interest costs had surged, underscoring why the U.S. needs the $11–$12 billion package. He warned that a “hole was dug in the previous administration.”
India–U.S. agricultural trade has expanded over the last decade, with India exporting basmati rice, spices, and marine products while importing U.S. almonds, cotton, and pulses. Disputes over subsidies, market access, and WTO complaints—especially regarding rice and sugar—have periodically strained bilateral talks.
China remains the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans, and tariff‑linked volatility has reshaped global commodity flows since 2018. Trump’s renewed reliance on tariffs signals potential turbulence for Asian agricultural exporters in the months ahead.
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