Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reported Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to announce in the coming days changes to tariffs on coffee, bananas and other agricultural imports in order to curb the rise in prices of foods that are not produced in the United States.
In an interview with Fox News, Bessent assured that the new measures “seek to alleviate costs for American families,” affected by inflation in basic consumer products. “There will be an important announcement on products that we do not grow in the United States, such as coffee, bananas and some tropical fruits. This will bring prices down fast,” he said. However, he did not specify the exact date of the announcement or the countries that could benefit from the tariff reduction.
Previous tariffs and their impact on prices
🚨🇺🇸 | Trump announced he will reduce tariffs on coffee to lower its price: “The only increase is on meat and coffee. We’re going to lower some tariffs, bring in more coffee and make it quick, easy, surgical. Look at energy, gasoline: it’s going to be 2 dollars! The economy is the… pic.twitter.com/LoytKHxYvl
– La Derecha Diario United States (@DerechaDiarioUS) November 12, 2025
In August, President Trump imposed a 50% tariff on coffee from Brazil, one of the world’s largest exporters, a move that led to a significant increase in coffee prices in the U.S. market.
Additional tariffs on imports from Vietnam and Colombia, two other key countries in world coffee production, were added to this policy.
The effects of these levies have been felt in supermarkets, coffee shops and small businesses throughout the country.
In cities such as Miami, Houston and Los Angeles, where the Latino community maintains a high consumption of imported coffee, retail prices have risen between 15 and 25% since September, according to distributor estimates.
Potential relief for consumers and families
🍽️ Donald Trump’s administration is expected to soon announce reductions in import tariffs on coffee, bananas and other foods, in response to the unease that sparked Republican setbacks in state elections last weekhttps://t.co/IIrnlb4vRq pic.twitter.com/Hiesu0yNKu
– El Financiero (@ElFinanciero_Mx) November 12, 2025
Trump told Fox News last week that he is considering lowering tariffs on coffee, reiterating previous comments made during his tour of Asia in late October.
“We are seeking a balance: protecting our jobs while allowing Americans to pay less for what they consume,” the president said.
Secretary Bessent also confirmed that the Government is analyzing a proposal to provide an economic bonus of US$2,000 to low-income families, financed with part of the revenues from customs tariffs.
“There are many options on the table. The president is talking about a $2,000 rebate, probably for families with incomes of less than $100,000 a year,” he detailed.
Political and economic context
The possible announcement comes at a time of trade tension, when several business sectors have asked the government to ease tariffs in order to reduce import costs.
Agriculture sector experts warned that maintaining high taxes on non-U.S.-produced goods could aggravate food inflation, especially on staples for Latino households such as coffee, sugar and tropical fruits.
Meanwhile, the Treasury Department has not confirmed whether the tariff review will include bilateral agreements with the affected exporting countries.
What Bessent did say is that the White House’s priority will be to “put the U.S. consumer first” and ensure that price relief is immediately reflected in the nation’s supermarkets and restaurants.
