1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I am writing to express my outrage over the continued harm being done to American farmers, particularly soybean growers in rural communities, due to tariffs imposed by Donald Trump and the failure to secure a meaningful trade deal with China. Nearly ten months into this situation, the damage is clear: U.S. soybean export projections for 2025/26 have dropped to 1.7 billion bushels, as Chinese buyers have turned to South America, leaving American farmers to struggle with lower prices and reduced demand. What makes this situation worse is the hypocrisy surrounding the federal response. To compensate for the self-inflicted damage caused by these tariffs, the government has been bailing out farmers. Let me be clear: this is socialism. And for the past two decades, Republican leaders—including yourself—have repeatedly warned that socialism is evil. Yet here we are, using taxpayer money to prop up livelihoods destroyed by policies enacted under your party’s watch. This contradiction is not just ironic—it is infuriating. Rural communities are being punished for political gamesmanship, while Brazil and other South American countries reap the benefits of American mismanagement. Domestic processing of soybeans, including for biofuels, cannot make up for lost export revenue, and families are facing financial stress through no fault of their own. I demand that you take action immediately: push for a genuine trade deal with China, advocate for policies that protect rural farmers, and stop prioritizing political loyalty and billionaire tax breaks over the livelihoods of ordinary Americans. It is past time for leadership that actually serves the people, not partisan agendas. If you cannot act to fix this mess, then at minimum stop pretending that socialism is an abstract threat while you willingly use it to bail out your own mistakes. American farmers deserve better than hypocrisy and neglect.