President Donald Trump said Thursday he has directed the Department of Justice to investigate whether major meatpacking companies are illegally driving up beef prices, warning that corporate “collusion” may be hurting both consumers and ranchers.
In a post on social media, the president said the department must determine whether the industry is engaged in “illicit collusion” to fix or manipulate prices, calling for swift action, The Washington Times reported.
“Action must be taken immediately to protect consumers, combat illegal monopolies, and ensure these corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American people,” Trump wrote. “I am asking the DOJ to act expeditiously.”
The order reflects a balancing act for the president, who is under pressure to lower grocery prices while protecting the ranchers and cattle producers who form part of his political base.
The cost of ground beef has surged to a record high of nearly $7 per pound, driven by a mix of depleted cattle herds, drought conditions, and high demand.
Trump has proposed expanding beef imports from Argentina to help stabilize prices, but the idea sparked backlash from U.S. ranchers who say the move contradicts his “America First” policy and risks destabilizing the domestic market.
On Thursday, Trump shifted his focus to the meatpacking industry itself, accusing large processors of artificially inflating prices.
“We will always protect our American Ranchers,” Trump said, “and they are being blamed for what is being done by Majority Foreign Owned Meat Packers, who artificially inflate prices, and jeopardize the security of our Nation’s food supply.”
The president’s comments come as four dominant meatpacking giants — Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef — face renewed scrutiny for their grip on the market. The companies control roughly 81% to 85% of the fed-cattle industry, according to the Coalition for a Prosperous America.
That concentration, the group said, allows the firms to “manipulate prices, labeling, and supply to profit at the expense of ranchers and consumers alike.”
In recent years, top meatpackers have faced multiple price-fixing lawsuits and agreed to multimillion-dollar settlements while denying wrongdoing. Critics say the high level of consolidation leaves smaller producers and consumers vulnerable to manipulation.
Trump did not cite specific evidence of illegal behavior in his post but suggested there may be “chicanery in the marketplace.”
The Justice Department has yet to comment on the president’s directive or confirm whether an investigation is underway.
The move adds another front to Trump’s broader push against what he calls “corporate greed” and “foreign-owned monopolies” — a populist message that has become a recurring theme of his second term.
Industry groups representing meatpackers have denied collusion allegations, saying prices reflect broader supply-and-demand challenges, including drought, feed costs, and workforce shortages.
Still, Trump’s call for a DOJ investigation signals his intent to make food prices a political priority heading into an election year, aligning with his promise to “restore fairness” to American markets.
And the Department of Justice has been busy.
An anarchist with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested for allegedly putting out a $45,000 bounty on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s life, according to federal authorities.
Tyler Maxon Avalos, 29, was taken into custody on Oct. 16 after a tipster alerted the FBI to a TikTok post that allegedly advertised a murder-for-hire plot against Bondi earlier this month, The New York Post reported.
Investigators said the post showed a photo of Bondi with a “sniper-scope red dot” on her forehead and a caption that read: “WANTED: Pam Bondi / REWARD: 45,000 DEAD OR ALIVE / (PREFERABLY DEAD).”
Underneath the image, Avalos allegedly wrote: “Cough cough. When they don’t serve us, then what?”
According to court documents, Avalos used the TikTok handle “Wacko” and displayed an anarchy symbol on his profile, which also linked to “An Anarchist FAQ book.”
