Trump Listens to Farmers, Pushes Tariffs at Pennsylvania Event \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Donald Trump held a rare listening session in rural Pennsylvania, engaging with farmers on issues like China’s influence, energy dependence, and the U.S. economy. The event allowed him to emphasize his economic policies, including tariffs and energy production, while responding to concerns about family farms and foreign land ownership. The former president, in an uncharacteristically restrained appearance, mostly listened to the participants’ concerns but later returned to his combative style when addressing reporters.
Trump’s Rural Pennsylvania Roundtable: Quick Looks
- Trump listened to farmers and manufacturers concerned about China’s impact on the U.S. economy.
- He criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’ reversal on fracking, important to Pennsylvania’s economy.
- Trump threatened a 200% tariff on John Deere if it continued moving jobs to Mexico.
- Trump addressed energy issues, admitting he wasn’t aware of how dependent farmers are on energy.
- Participants discussed the loss of small family farms despite increased overall production from larger farms.
- Trump attended the event as part of his economic push ahead of a rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
Deep Look:
Donald Trump took a rare backseat during a roundtable discussion on Monday in Smithton, Pennsylvania, where he met with farmers and manufacturers to address concerns about China’s growing influence on the U.S. economy and threats to rural livelihoods. In a notable departure from his usual campaign style, Trump spent much of the event listening as participants shared stories about the struggles facing American farms.
Set against the backdrop of large green John Deere tractors and a banner reading “Protect our food from China,” the event gave Trump an opportunity to refocus his economic message as part of his 2024 presidential campaign. The conversation centered on China’s increasing ownership of U.S. farmland, energy production, and the decline of small family farms. Trump acknowledged these challenges, asserting that tariffs and increased domestic energy production are key to lowering costs and protecting American interests.
During the event, Trump reiterated his commitment to imposing steep tariffs on U.S. companies that move operations overseas, singling out John Deere as an example. The company announced plans in June to move manufacturing operations to Mexico. “If they want to build in the United States, there’s no tariff,” Trump stated, adding that if the company exports production, he would impose a 200% tariff.
Though he began the roundtable with familiar complaints about the 2020 election, calling it “a disgrace,” Trump quickly shifted gears and allowed the farmers to take the lead in the discussion—a contrast to his typically more bombastic rallies. One farmer voiced concerns about the disappearance of small family farms, noting that while overall production is up, it’s due to larger corporate farms taking over. “I know that, yes,” Trump responded thoughtfully.
Another participant spoke about the energy sector’s vital role in agriculture, particularly in rural areas like Pennsylvania, where natural gas fracking plays a large part in the economy. Trump admitted, “I didn’t know that farmers were so energy-dependent,” displaying a willingness to learn from the participants. His acknowledgment came as he used the opportunity to criticize Vice President Kamala Harris for reversing her stance on banning fracking, a critical issue for the state.
Energy production and tariffs were dominant themes throughout the discussion, with Trump using them to draw a contrast between his policies and those of the current administration. He warned of China’s state-subsidized businesses taking control of crucial industries, particularly in agriculture. When one farmer highlighted how Chinese-subsidized competition was hurting local businesses, Trump responded, “That’s why we need tariffs.”
Trump’s event took place as Harris prepared to visit Pennsylvania later in the week, emphasizing the importance of the state’s voters in the upcoming election. Trump’s rhetoric focused heavily on his opposition to Harris and her policy shifts, particularly on fracking. He took a combative tone with reporters later in the day when asked whether imposing tariffs on manufacturers like John Deere could raise costs for the same farmers he was pledging to help. “She [Harris] is not going to be good for Pennsylvania,” Trump retorted.
Despite the heavier economic themes, Trump’s more personable side came through when he made an unscheduled stop at a market in Indiana, Pennsylvania, before heading to a rally. He bought popcorn and joked with his staff that he might send for more if he returns to the Oval Office. He also handed a woman paying for groceries a $100 bill, quipping that her total “just went down a hundred bucks.”
The event was hosted by the Protecting America Initiative, a group led by Trump’s former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell and former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin. Grenell emphasized that Chinese land ownership in the U.S. is a growing concern, pointing out that China holds nearly 250,000 acres of U.S. land, though that is less than 1% of foreign-owned land overall.
However, the issue of foreign land ownership has gained traction following high-profile cases of Chinese companies acquiring land near U.S. military bases. A Chinese billionaire purchased more than 130,000 acres near a U.S. Air Force base in Texas, while another company sought to build a corn processing plant near an Air Force base in North Dakota, sparking national security concerns.
Rex Murphy, a farmer from a nearby rural area who attended the event, voiced his support for Trump, saying that he wanted fewer taxes and “more freedom” for farmers. “I want him to do everything for the economy,” said Murphy, adding that he believed Trump would improve conditions for working-class Americans if he returned to the presidency.
Trump’s renewed focus on the economy and his appeals to working-class voters, especially in states like Pennsylvania, signal his ongoing strategy to reclaim the presidency in 2024. The rally later in Indiana, Pennsylvania, was set to solidify his connection with conservative voters in the state, many of whom had supported him in his previous campaigns.
Meanwhile, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, attended a fundraiser in New York City on Monday, where he took aim at Trump’s energy policies. Speaking to a group of climate-conscious donors, including former presidential candidate Tom Steyer and Hollywood producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, Walz criticized Trump’s approach to energy, dismissing his “drill baby, drill” slogan as a simplistic and ineffective solution.
In response to Trump’s event in Pennsylvania, Harris’ campaign spokesman Joseph Costello condemned Trump’s record on farming, saying, “Despite all his lies and pandering, Donald Trump used the White House to give handouts to wealthy corporations and foreign companies at the expense of family farmers.” Costello added that Trump’s trade policies, particularly his trade war with China, had pushed many American farmers into bankruptcy.
Trump Listens
