Trump makes pitch to farmers hard-hit by tariffs, high prices in Wisconsin

Trump seeks to shore up support among rural voters hard hit by tariffs, economic fallout of war with Iran. United States President Donald Trump has sought to reassure farmers hard-hit by tariffs and the economic fallout of the US-Israeli war with Iran during a visit to Wisconsin. The stop in Chippewa Falls on Friday for a farming roundtable comes months before the midterm elections in November. Trump was seeking to bolster support for Republican US Representative Derrick Van Orden, who has been targeted by Democrats hoping to take control of the chamber. Van Orden has closely aligned with Trump and has long espoused the president as the best leader for rural Americans. Democrat challenger Rebecca Cook has proven a strong fundraiser and has led Van Orden in recent polls. Democrats are considered favourites to take control of the US House of Representatives, currently controlled by Republicans, in the midterms. “I love the place,” Trump said, referring to Wisconsin, “and hopefully you’re going to be voting Republican, because frankly, Republican is – I call it the sane way to go.” Success for Democrats would allow the party to seriously restrict Trump’s agenda in the final two years of his term. The Wisconsin visit was also more broadly aimed at shoring up support among farmers, who had largely backed the president in his 2024 election bid. Farmers have been particularly hard-hit by Trump’s aggressive tariff policies, with many countries limiting imports of US products, notably soybeans, in response. The tariffs have also made importing items needed for daily operations more expensive. The administration has sought to offset the fallout with temporary aid packages for farmers. At the same time, fertiliser costs have surged since the US and Israel launched the war with Iran on February 28, with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz increasing prices of several key components, including urea. An April survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation found that 70 percent of farmers in the US reported they cannot afford all of their fertiliser needs. The average gas price of $4.04 per gallon of petrol this week was also $1.08 higher than a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association. Trump assured those gathered that the administration had “largely finished” the war “one way or the other”. He vowed fertiliser and gas prices would come “way down”. The visit comes as several polls have shown Trump’s overall approval rating hovering at all-time lows, about or under 40 percent. His approval was lower on specific issues, with a Marquette Law School poll conducted from May 20-26 finding just 19 percent of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of gas prices. Only 22 percent approved of his handling of inflation and cost of living. Several top Republicans have also warned that several of Trump’s recent actions could risk alienating voters concerned about the economy. That included a $1.8bn “anti-weaponisation fund” launched by the Department of Justice to repay individuals, including Trump supporters, who allege they were victims of political prosecutions. The Department of Justice has since abandoned the plan. Trump has also requested $1bn in funding for security for his controversial White House ballroom, despite earlier saying that taxpayers would not have to foot the bill.