Scott Bessent said That Migrants Bringing Cattle with Them Are to Blame for Higher Beef Prices

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

‘Can’t Be Serious’: Trump Official Roasted for Bizarre Take That Migrants Bringing Cattle With Them Are to Blame for Higher Beef Prices

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made a bizarre claim on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo that proved to be a head-scratcher for some on social media.

Bartiromo asked Bessent about a comment made by the CEO of Omaha Steaks who claimed Americans are heading for $10-a-pound ground beef.

“Well, Maria, the beef market is a very specialized market,” Bessent began. “It goes in long cycles. And this is the perfect storm, again, something we inherited.”

Bessent went on to make the strange claim that migrants have been bringing diseased cattle with them across the border.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/t-serious-trump-official-roasted-205546620.html

[RockRaven]

1. PRO-JEC-TION. This admin wants to import (diseased) cattle from Argentina.

They are getting ahead of the possible/inevitable consequences of their maliciously negligent policy. Hello, hoof and mouth disease!

[leftstreet]

2. Every accusation is a confession n/t

[tanyev]

3. Man, you should see them cows climb that border wall!

[fargone]

10. It all makes sense

The most inconspicuous way to cross the border is riding on a cow because no one is looking for that. You needn't worry about their fence climbing ability. Just rely on the Hey diddle diddle factor.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

15. And there was a full moon last week!

A little dog laughing and a dish and spoon running! Proof!!

[dameatball]

50. If you ride the cow facing backwards they will think you are leaving. Foolproof!

[fargone]

52. Brilliant

[FHRRK]

12. You laugh/scoff but I am less than 100 miles from the border

And I have to admit, driving the 5 freeway in this area has become a task. Stray livestock running down the middle. Many of us are mounting brush guards on our EVs, damn thing doubles the weight of a Prius.

Mountain Lions and coyotes running through or neighborhood due to free range livestock.

I’m telling you it is crazy!

[allegorical oracle]

22. Black Angus cattle get loose in my rural area, too. But I doubt that migrants

brought them into the state. Usually means that some farm has a downed fence.

[marybourg]

31. When I lived in New Mexico, 30+ years ago,

morning, traffic reports frequently included warnings of cattle or other livestock on roads.

[allegorical oracle]

48. In my area, loose livestock is a serious danger because our roads are

hilly. Have frequently stopped traffic going in the opposite direction to warn of loose cattle in the road over the next hill. Striking large livestock or deer can kill drivers when they slide up the hood of a vehicle and into the front windshield.

[IronLionZion]

71. I did my own research and found video proof of cows climbing over the border wall

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/189UzoUZt2/

these cattle don't look vaccinated

[tanyev]

72. LOL! That's pretty well done.

[IronLionZion]

73. Here's another about the "cow-tels" rather than cartels

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BdzUtvozH/

AI is getting quite good at generating fake video

[IronLionZion]

74. Here's a foolproof way to tell a Mexican cow from a patriotic American cow

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16NqHY8d4V/

[surfered]

4. And he's Secretary of the Treasury? God help us!

[NotHardly]

46. I want some of whatever he's smoking.

[mercuryblues]

5. Heading for $10 a lb?

I paid that last week, at a locally owned grocer. Yes, I could have driven a mile up the road and paid $7 a lb. That mile is under construction and always backed up. I figure I would have used close to a gallon of gas just to drive the extra mile and back.

[Historic NY]

60. Holy Cow's

]

[Solly Mack]

6. Cattlepulting the propaganda

[Johonny]

7. Biden, Obama, Bush . . . All inherited shit.

They tried to fix things. These lazy asses just have blame. No leadership.

[chowmama]

8. Ummm, correct me if I'm wrong

But wouldn't more cows bring beef prices...down?

Assuming it was even possible. People die crossing the border and trying to get to a city. Now imagine it while towing an entire goddamn cow, let alone several. And transporting a diseased cow, you definitely wouldn't get far enough to feed anybody but the local carrion birds. The first symptom of anthrax, for example is usually a 'downer' cow, aka a large meat paperweight.

[Celerity]

20. Bessent went on to make the strange claim that migrants have been bringing diseased cattle with them across the border.

[Takket]

9. i.... just can't believe anyone in this country buys this bullshit.

[Vogon_Glory]

62. I want to say idiotas from Florida, but I

suspect that there are others elsewhere, folks estranged from their farming and ranching ancestors for at least five generations.

[allegorical oracle]

67. He's one of the most elitist of all djt's cabinet members. He owns a

soybean farm, but doubt he's done much more than keep the books.

[Wounded Bear]

11. Now the caravans of migrants are herding cattle across the border?

[bluesbassman]

14. Technically they're using them as floaties on the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers.

But sure, I guess you could consider it herding.

[yellowcanine]

58. Not just any cattle. Infected cattle.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

13. What an absolute moron

[leftstreet]

16. No, there's video

Link to tweet

?s=20

[MorbidButterflyTat]

17. Proof!!

[travelingthrulife]

37. Oh, I see, the packable junior size.

[IronLionZion]

75. They're eating the cats and dogs but carrying the cows in backpacks

sneaky devils

[Melon]

18. Helpful to have the actual quote. Attached

“And there’s also, because of the mass immigration, a disease that had been — we’ve been rid of in North America made its way up through South America, you know, as these migrants brought some of their cattle with them. So part of the problem is we’ve had to shut the border to Mexican beef because of this disease called the screw worm. So we’re not going to let that get into our supply chain. And, again, I don’t want to focus on one product. It’s a very important product. And if we are laser-focused on this product —“

[fargone]

44. The screwworm fly is real. It is an insect.

As is standard practice in the administration, sometimes a bit of information is taken and and garbled beyond recognition by people who don't understand it. Most of the time, though, they completely make stuff up.

[Melon]

45. I agree. The screwworm would be a huge health issue if re-established

In the US. I also side with supplementing Argentina beef until we can get our beef inventories up and prices stabilized.

[Totally Tunsie]

19. LOL - I remember being stopped at the California border several years back

when arriving from Oregon and we had to discard an apple to eliminate the risk of contaminating CA crops. How the hell does one get a cow over the border?

[Bettie]

21. I keep coming back to this statement

because I can't figure out if he is just so out of touch that he doesn't know that cattle are large animals or if he's just making random statements, assuming people will believe any lie he tells because he's a rich dude.

[travelingthrulife]

38. He's a farmer he sez.

[Bettie]

63. There are farmers who work

farms and there are "farmers" who own farms and never do a day's work in their lives.

I suspect he's the second kind.

[Autumn]

23. They carry their cattle in their pockets? Cool I want a tiny bull and I will call him

Tiny Dick Head after Scott Bessent.

These are the stupidest people on the face of the planet.

[ms liberty]

30. Maybe he thinks all cows are the size of those miniature highland cows or mini horses

I totally believe he could be that stupid.

[milestogo]

24. Sounds like bull to me.

[karynnj]

25. You would fail Econ 101 if you insisted increasing supply increases prices

Not to mention, from many accounts illegally entering the country is arduous and dangerous. Doing so, with cattle, is pretty ludicrous and I have never heard any accusation of that.

Legal entry into the country with cattle by an immigrant seems even less likely.

[travelingthrulife]

39. Now they are going to have to create more caravans to scare the rubes, this time

with hoards of diseased cattle.

Remember when Lindsey Graham complained that the annual pre-election caravan participants were dressed too well. I suspect they paid for the crowd.

[Lovie777]

26. Oh my gawd.................

he really thinks America is that naive, well maybe the ones that vote for them.

[Trueblue Texan]

27. I wonder how he explains the increases in the price of ground turkey. nt

[ms liberty]

28. The stupidity of this moran is hilarious - I saw the clip - and then I come to DU for the commentary

And this thread is gold!

[Zambero]

29. I'd wondered about all those cattle drive convoys

Running herd through Mexico undetected, then fordng the Rio Grande in massive quantities. Inflationary cows one and all. A leaky border indeed!

[marble falls]

32. Who does he blame for the billions (with a b) of meat in freezer storage by the gov't and meat producers?

[MineralMan]

33. Spoken by a man who has never stood near any cattle.

Maybe he has never even seen a cow or steer. That's how clueless he is.

[travelingthrulife]

40. He says he is a farmer.

[MineralMan]

41. Not a farmer who has livestock, apparently.

[C_U_L8R]

34. Because magats will believe any old bullshit

zero critical skills among that blight

[IronLionZion]

35. Ministry of propaganda

MAGAts think migrant workers are bringing cattle across the border? Cows be jumping over the wall and crossing rivers and mountains and desert?

Although Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins did suspend Mexican cattle imports to the United States due to screwworm concerns, there’s no information to suggest that South American immigrants have been bringing cattle across the U.S. border.

Economists blame President Donald Trump’s tariffs on “beef from Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, feed, farm equipment and machinery” for driving up the cost of beef in the United States.

[ProfessorGAC]

36. So Greater Supply Leads To Higher Prices?

This is astonishingly stupid, even from Bessent.
And I'm ignoring the idiocy of migrants bringing their cattle all the way from Central & South America.

[Turbineguy]

53. Coyotes are herding cattle.

if they pay.

[Paladin]

42. Amazing how fucking stupid trump's people think we are. (nt)

[RainCaster]

43. I saw those cows on my plane yesterday

My flight back home from LHR had many cattle on it.

[Doodles]

47. Baghdad Bob. Remember him?

Let’s just name them all: Baghdad Mike, Baghdad Bessert, Baghdad Pam, etc. etc. etc.

[cornball 24]

64. I was on a flight last week and there was this fat cow walking up and down

the aisle. While the flight attendants were trying to find a place with a big enough seatbelt for it, a passenger tried to milk it. Udderly ridiculous!

[spanone]

49. According to the trmp explainers everything is 'inherited'

The buck stops nowhere near this fucking cabal.

[dameatball]

51. What really pisses me off is when they bring their cattle with them to Home Depot.

Have to park almost over by the Waffle House.

[Moostache]

54. Imagine an alternate timeline or fantasy...

"Ask NOT what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for my boss!"

"The only thing we have to fear is those Mexican farmers sneaking herds of cattle into our country..."

"January 6, 2021, a date that will live in celebration for ever..."

"These are 'alternative' facts..."

"Mr Gorbachev, tear down that ball room..."

"I regret that I have but one life to exploit my country..."

Some people are saying that these are maybe the greatest statements, maybe ever..."

================================================================

One day this will END, but the shame of those who stay silent with stick to them like rotting milk, and it will NOT ever wash off.

[Historic NY]

55. It must be Annie

https://www.businessinsider.com/cow-in-car-passenger-2018-10]

[yellowcanine]

56. They ate all the cats and dogs and have to bring cows?

You can’t make up this shit.

[Vinca]

57. I mean who hasn't seen a migrant with a backpack trudging through the desert with his herd?

Nothing like a guy with hundreds of millions of dollars opining about affordability. He's another one who wouldn't know how to grocery shop if the maid quit.

[Norrrm]

59. How many cattle, Scott?

[Traildogbob]

61. By the time

They ride those poor cows a thousand miles with not much to eat through the deserts, then run for miles to escape ICE, (oh wait, ICE can’t outrun a person on an old one speed bike) they will be all bones. And damnit, a cow does all that for an ungrateful “illegal Alien” then they give the boney old cow to a slaughter house, for undocumented slave labor to butcher working 24 hours a day for a few dollars? Then the grocery (that’s a new word, google it) store will charge $50 a pound for that tough as leather steak and unregulated diseased beef?
That all makes sense Mr Secretary.
And if you eat that Latino Beef, you will turn brown and speak Spanish. Then be vanished by ICE for looking Latino.
Thank you Joe Biden. Look what you have done.

[The Wizard]

65. If people had the self control

to quit meat for a month the price would radically drop .
It would mean cattle would cost more to feed as they're not being slaughtered for profit.
When the cost of perishables gets too high I leave them on the shelf to rot. A little discipline goes a long way.

[Hugin]

66. They're probably dragging in a bunch of soy fields too.

Those pocket bovines have to eat something.

Gads! Maybe they’re cownivores!

[ConstanceCee]

68. I'm Impressed

It's pretty impressive that these migrants from South America can get themselves through the Darien Gap, not to mention themselves and their cattle. Sounds like the kind of people we need in the U.S.A.!

[Rstrstx]

69. They've been strapping meat onto their thighs like cantaloupes

[fujiyamasan]

70. ChatGPT come up with the most absurd way to blame immigrants for rising beef prices

According bullshit dot com, illegal immigrants are bringing their cattle when crossing the border.

[OLDMDDEM]

76. He is a perfect example of how pathetic this administration really is.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

77. MaddowBlog-The administration is blaming immigrants with 'sick cows' for higher beef prices

Initially, Trump blamed meatpackers for higher costs. Now, his team is blaming immigrants — and cattle they’re allegedly bringing across the border.

Trump pissing off more farmers and targeting immigrants! Mighty anti-Christ of you, Trump!

The administration is blaming immigrants with ‘sick cows’ for higher beef prices www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Tabby (@tabbys-corner.bsky.social) 2025-11-18T17:48:39.006Z

But as it turns out, the Republican administration isn’t blaming only the meatpacking industry. The New York Times reported:

With many Americans frustrated by Mr. Trump’s tariffs, his advisers have been straining to blame the high cost of hamburgers — and anything else — on anyone other than the president. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tried to explain high beef prices over the weekend by blaming undocumented immigrants, saying they were bringing sick cows into the United States.

Bessent really did appear on Fox News on Sunday morning and suggest “mass immigration” was at least partially responsible for rising beef prices. The secretary added that some migrants “have brought some of their cattle with them” when entering the U.S.

BARTIROMO: He's expecting a pound ground beef. What's your reaction?

BESSENT: Maria, the beef market is a very specialized market. It goes in long cycles. This is the perfect storm. Again, something we inherited.

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-11-16T15:15:34.776Z

As a rule, when migrants try to reach American soil, they bring loved ones and a backpack. They do not tend to bring livestock. The Times report added, “The Treasury Department did not respond to a request for an explanation about Mr. Bessent’s suggestion that sick cows were being brought from Mexico across the border.”

Making matters worse is the familiarity of the circumstances. Concerned about health care costs? Team Trump says to blame immigrants. Frustrated by housing costs? Team Trump says to blame immigrants. Worried about crime? Team Trump says to blame immigrants.