Gov. Beshear sends letter demanding President Trump to rescind tariffs, trade policies

FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Gov. Andy Beshear sent a letter to President Donald Trump demanding him to rescind his tariff and trade policies.

A letter from Beshear's office says the tariffs are fueling a "cost-of-living crisis" for Americans and harming signature Kentucky industries, such as agriculture, bourbon and coal.

“It is the American consumer, not the foreign exporter, who pays the price for Trump’s failed tariff and trade strategy, with estimates showing that hardworking Americans could pay more than $330 billion in tariff costs in 2026, which equates to more than $2,500 per family,” said Gov. Beshear. “In addition to causing prices to skyrocket, these policies are also harming Kentucky’s signature agriculture, bourbon and coal industries. It’s time Trump prioritized our people and ended this disastrous trade war."

The letter comes a week Canadian government announced that it will match "dollar for dollar" tariffs, with rates of up to 50%, as a direct response to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump last week on Canadian imports, while the White House contended that Trump is “ending Canada’s free ride.”

The tariffs from Canada are expected to hit more than $27 billion in goods starting Sept. 8.

Beshear's office says Kentucky distillers have lost out on global markets.

"Spirits exports have plummeted, with an 85% decrease to Canada, a 12% decrease to the European Union, a nearly 30% decrease to the United Kingdom, and a 23% decrease to Japan," the governor's office said, noting that distillers are facing layoffs and production slowdowns.

Beshear's office also mentioned the impact on coal producers and farmers, calling Trump's plan to import beef from outside the United States "disastrous for farmers."

Kentucky is the largest beef cattle-producing state east of the Mississippi River, according to the Kentucky Beef Council.

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins acknowledged concern amongst farmers over the trade situation.

“There's no doubt that it causes concern amongst our farmers and ranchers as it is a lot unknown out there. But as the group of men and women in communities that have been his most avid supporters from the moment he came down the escalator in 2015, he has our ag producers at the very top of the list,” Rollins told Scripps News. “And we've seen this with all of the trade deals. Every one of those 20 new trade deals, whether it's soybeans or cotton or beef or dairy, ag is always at the top. And that's because he has made it so. And I believe strongly that once they finish this next round of negotiations or whatever you wanna call it, that America will certainly be the better for it, and that our farmers and ranchers will benefit the most."

Click here to read the letter in full.

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