WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said it will drop a 10% tariff on Argentine beef imports and will quadruple the amount of Argentine beef that can enter the U.S. before imports reach a quota that triggers a 25% levy.

The White House announcement comes despite criticism of President Donald Trump from lawmakers and ranchers last month over his plan to boost imports from Argentina in an effort to bring down beef prices for consumers.

“There is a reciprocal tariff of 10% on Argentina. We expect that to be eliminated,” a senior White House official said in a briefing on new trade framework agreements with Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala and El Salvador. The agreements are expected to be signed within two weeks, the official said. The briefing conditions were that the official can’t be named.

The duty-free amount for Argentina is currently 20,000 metric tons of beef, but the administration plans to boost that to 80,000 tons — although the increase isn’t part of the framework agreement. When imports reach 80,000 tons, the 25% tariff would take effect.

The official didn’t say when the higher quota would take effect.

“But that 25% out-of-quota tariff is, you know, that’s congressionally set. So in the near term, I think we’re just going to let the market figure out, you know, how much beef it needs,” the official said.

The administration is also dropping the 10% reciprocal tariff on other items that can’t be produced in the U.S.

It separately said it would take steps to cut costs for farmers and ranchers and increase demand for beef.

“President Trump pledged to protect America’s ranchers and deliver economic relief for everyday Americans. The Administration is accomplishing both by expanding beef imports from Argentina to lower consumer prices in the short term while rolling out a new USDA initiative that will support ranchers and expand cattle herd sizes to keep prices lower in the long term,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her department would “immediately expedite deregulatory reforms, boost processing capacity, including getting more locally raised beef into schools, and working across the government to fix longstanding common-sense barriers for ranchers like outdated grazing restrictions.”

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said his department would restore grazing access to public lands, and Kelly Loeffler, head of the Small Business Administration, said her agency would provide government-guaranteed loans to ranchers.

Republican lawmakers, especially from farm states, have criticized the administration’s desire to import more Argentine beef.

A group of 14 House Republicans — including House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith, R-Neb. — sent a letter to Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in October expressing opposition.

“While we share the Administration’s goal of lowering costs for consumers, we are concerned that granting additional market access to Argentina — already one of our largest beef suppliers — will undermine American cattle producers, weaken our position in ongoing trade negotiations, and reintroduce avoidable animal-health risks,” the letter said.

The trade framework also aims to increase U.S. beef exports to Argentina.

“Argentina will simplify product registration processes for U.S. beef, beef products, beef offal, and pork products, and will not apply facility registration for imports of U.S. dairy products,” the joint statement on the framework says.

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