President Donald Trump on Friday rolled back tariffs on more than 100 food products, including everyday staples such as coffee, beef, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, and orange juice, responding to mounting frustration among Americans over the high cost of groceries.
The move is a major reversal for Trump, who has long argued that his earlier import tariffs were not driving up inflation.
The exemptions will take effect retroactively at midnight on Thursday, November 13, 2025, representing a significant policy shift for Trump. The president has repeatedly argued that the broad import duties his administration imposed earlier this year were not a major driver of inflation.
The decision lifts tariffs on more than 100 food products.
At the same time, the administration announced framework trade deals with Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador. Once finalized, those agreements are expected to eliminate tariffs on certain foods and other imports from those countries. Officials say more deals could follow before the end of the year.
What’s on the Tariff-Free List?
The White House released a detailed list that includes more than 100 products that will no longer be subject to the levies. Among them:
- Coffee
- Cocoa
- Black tea
- Green tea
- Vanilla beans
Beef products, including:
- High-quality cuts
- Bone-in and boneless cuts
- Corned beef
- Some frozen items
- Salted, brined, dried or smoked meat
Fruits, such as:
- Acai
- Avocadoes
- Bananas
- Coconuts
- Guavas
- Limes
- Oranges
- Mangoes
- Plantains
- Pineapples
- Various peppers
- Tomatoes
Spices, including:
- Allspice
- Bay leaves
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Curry
- Dill
- Fennel seeds
- Ginger
- Mace
- Nutmeg
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Saffron
- Turmeric
Nuts, grains, roots and seeds, such as:
- Barley
- Brazil nuts
- Capers
- Cashews
- Chestnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Miso
- Palm hearts
- Pine nuts
- Poppy seeds
- Tapioca
- Taro
- Water chestnuts
In total, the broader list runs to more than 100 items, many of which are used in everyday cooking or processed foods that families buy regularly.
Why now?
In a fact sheet, the White House said the move comes after “significant progress” in securing more reciprocal trade terms with U.S. partners. Officials argued that certain items could be exempted because they are not grown or processed in the United States, and because the administration has recently concluded nine framework trade deals, two final reciprocal trade agreements and two investment deals.
The shift comes as food prices remain a major pain point for households:
- Ground beef was nearly 13% more expensive in September than a year earlier.
- Steak prices were up almost 17%, the biggest increase in more than three years.
- Banana prices were about 7% higher, while tomatoes were up around 1%.
- Overall, the cost of food consumed at home rose 2.7% year-over-year in September.
Even though the U.S. is a major beef producer, a persistent cattle shortage has kept beef prices elevated.
What it could mean for shoppers
The administration is betting that lifting tariffs on these imported foods will help bring down at least some prices at the supermarket. How much of a difference consumers see — and how quickly — will depend on how retailers and suppliers adjust their pricing.
For now, the rollback signals that rising grocery costs have become a political and economic pressure point significant enough to prompt a notable shift in Trump’s trade strategy.
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