• Trump accused foreign-owned meat packers of inflating U.S. beef prices.
• He requested a DOJ investigation into possible antitrust violations.
• The call follows key Republican election losses and public concerns about living costs.
• Experts doubt the investigation will lead to lower beef prices.
• Consolidation in the meat industry has long been a contentious issue for producers and politicians.

President Donald Trump recently announced his request for the Department of Justice to investigate foreign-owned meat packers, alleging they are responsible for driving up beef prices in the U.S. Trump’s announcement, made on social media, follows key losses for his party in recent elections, wherein Democratic candidates capitalized on public concerns regarding living costs and food prices. He stated, "I have asked the DOJ to immediately begin an investigation into the Meat Packing Companies who are driving up the price of Beef through Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation," highlighting his commitment to safeguarding American ranchers from what he deems unfair practices by foreign entities, according to CBS News, LA Times, BBC, and SCMP.

Beef prices have surged amid a tight supply situation, attributed to drought and a long-term trend that has resulted in the smallest U.S. cattle herd in decades. Additionally, Trump's tariffs on Brazilian beef imports have created further constraints on the market. While Trump argues that consumer prices are being artificially inflated due to foreign control of the meat-packing industry, experts express skepticism about the effectiveness of an investigation in actually lowering grocery prices. Derrell Peel, an agricultural economist, indicated that the problem of beef prices has been studied extensively, suggesting that breaking up large packers might actually lead to higher consumer prices and lower cattle prices for producers, according to LA Times, BBC, and SCMP.

Concerns about market concentration in the meatpacking industry have spanned decades, with only a few companies dominating the market. Currently, four major firms control over 80% of beef slaughtering and processing. While accusations of collusion are not new, actual evidence supporting Trump's claims remains absent. The Meat Institute, representing many in the beef packing sector, claimed the industry is suffering from significant losses despite high consumer prices, citing strong demand coupled with a tight cattle supply as the real drivers of issues within the market, according to CBS News and SCMP.

Trump's recent statements come as part of a broader strategy to address rising food costs, an issue also prioritized by political rivals, notably former President Joe Biden, who has proposed increasing competition in the meat industry to combat price hikes. This continuing bipartisan scrutiny reflects the significant economic concerns surrounding food pricing and supply chains, as communicated through multiple sources LA Times, BBC, and SCMP.