President Donald Trump has criticized Brazilian influence over the US meat industry, yet his administration's policies are boosting Brazil's market position. To combat record-high retail ground beef prices driven by a domestic cattle shortage, Trump announced in August the import of up to 300,000 tons of ground beef at reduced tariffs over 90 days, with Brazil expected to supply the majority. Consequently, the US became Brazil's top beef buyer in August. Analyst Fernando Iglesias of Safras & Mercado noted the shift is "very beneficial" for Brazil, which faces export restrictions from China and stricter EU antimicrobial rules. XP Inc. analysts estimate Brazil could cover two-thirds of the quota.

The move coincides with antitrust scrutiny of the concentrated US meatpacking sector, dominated by Tyson Foods Inc., Cargill Inc., and Brazilian-owned JBS NV and National Beef. Trump met with JBS founding family member Joesley Batista on August 20, one day before the tariff announcement, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Batista family's holding company, J&F SA, and Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., where they hold investments, declined comment; Pilgrim’s Pride was the largest single donor to Trump's 2025 inaugural committee. Brazil also supplies lean beef scarce in the US, per Rabobank analyst Wagner Yanaguizawa.