Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 03:54am on 10 Dec 2025,Wednesday India Global
US President Donald Trump signaled fresh tariffs on India after learning that American rice farmers face stiff competition from imports. During a White House roundtable with agriculture sector representatives, Louisiana rice mill owner Meryl Kennedy told Trump that India, Thailand, and China are "dumping" rice into US markets, devastating southern producers. Kennedy specifically noted Puerto Rico, formerly a major US rice market hasn't received American shipments in years due to foreign competition. When Trump asked Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about India's tariff exemptions, Bessent confirmed they're "still working on their trade deal." Trump emphasized tariffs would "solve the problem easily" and promised to "take care of it," while announcing $12 billion in federal aid for struggling American farmers.