The Daily Fuckup

Rep. Sean Casten led 36 House Democrats in an Oct. 16, 2025 letter to President Donald Trump arguing that his tariff policy is harming soybean farmers and weakening the export markets they rely on. The lawmakers asked Trump to terminate the national emergencies tied to the tariffs and remove the duties they said are hurting U.S. agriculture. ([casten.house.gov](https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/casten-leads-36-house-dems-in-urging-trump-to-end-tariff-fueled-economic-assault-on-soybean-farmers))

In the letter, the Democrats said soybeans brought in more than $31 billion to the U.S. economy in the 2023-2024 crop year and that China bought more than half of U.S. soybean exports in 2024, worth $12.6 billion. They also said China has halted U.S. soybean purchases since May in response to the tariffs and has shifted buying toward Brazil and Argentina. ([casten.house.gov](https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/casten-leads-36-house-dems-in-urging-trump-to-end-tariff-fueled-economic-assault-on-soybean-farmers))

The lawmakers framed the problem as more than a short-term trade dispute. They said the tariffs are expected to keep shrinking export markets, pressuring farm revenue and raising consumer prices, while tariff-funded relief would not solve the longer-term damage. Casten’s office also said the administration’s planned $20 billion bailout for Argentina adds to the strain by helping a competitor to U.S. soybean growers. ([casten.house.gov](https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/casten-leads-36-house-dems-in-urging-trump-to-end-tariff-fueled-economic-assault-on-soybean-farmers))

The letter does not create a new aid program. It is a demand to unwind the tariffs and the emergency authorities behind them, with the authors arguing that the trade policy itself is producing the harm that could eventually push Washington into another round of farm support. ([casten.house.gov](https://casten.house.gov/media/press-releases/casten-leads-36-house-dems-in-urging-trump-to-end-tariff-fueled-economic-assault-on-soybean-farmers))