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President Donald Trump said Thursday he has directed the Department of Justice to investigate whether major meatpacking companies are illegally driving up beef prices, warning that corporate \u201ccollusion\u201d may be hurting both consumers and ranchers.In a post on social media, the president said the department must determine whether the industry is engaged in \u201cillicit collusion\u201d to fix or manipulate prices, calling for swift action, The Washington Times reported.<\/p>\n
\u201cAction must be taken immediately to protect consumers, combat illegal monopolies, and ensure these corporations are not criminally profiting at the expense of the American people,\u201d Trump wrote. \u201cI am asking the DOJ to act expeditiously.\u201dThe order reflects a balancing act for the president, who is under pressure to lower grocery prices while protecting the ranchers and cattle producers who form part of his political base.<\/p>\n
The cost of ground beef has surged to a record high of nearly $7 per pound, driven by a mix of depleted cattle herds, drought conditions, and high demand.Trump has proposed expanding beef imports from Argentina to help stabilize prices, but the idea sparked backlash from U.S. ranchers who say the move contradicts his \u201cAmerica First\u201d policy and risks destabilizing the domestic market.On Thursday, Trump shifted his focus to the meatpacking industry itself, accusing large processors of artificially inflating prices.\u201cWe will always protect our American Ranchers,\u201d Trump said, \u201cand they are being blamed for what is being done by Majority Foreign Owned Meat Packers, who artificially inflate prices, and jeopardize the security of our Nation\u2019s food supply.<\/p>\n
The president\u2019s comments come as four dominant meatpacking giants \u2014 Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef \u2014 face renewed scrutiny for their grip on the market. The companies control roughly 81% to 85% of the fed-cattle industry, according to the Coalition for a Prosperous America.That concentration, the group said, allows the firms to \u201cmanipulate prices, labeling, and supply to profit at the expense of ranchers and consumers alike.\u201dIn recent years, top meatpackers have faced multiple price-fixing lawsuits and agreed to multimillion-dollar settlements while denying wrongdoing. Critics say the high level of consolidation leaves smaller producers and consumers vulnerable to manipulation.<\/p>\n
Trump did not cite specific evidence of illegal behavior in his post but suggested there may be \u201cchicanery in the marketplace.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Justice Department has yet to comment on the president\u2019s directive or confirm whether an investigation is underway.The move adds another front to Trump\u2019s broader push against what he calls \u201ccorporate greed\u201d and \u201cforeign-owned monopolies\u201d \u2014 a populist message that has become a recurring theme of his second term.<\/p>\n
Industry groups representing meatpackers have denied collusion allegations, saying prices reflect broader supply-and-demand challenges, including drought, feed costs, and workforce shortages.Still, Trump\u2019s call for a DOJ investigation signals his intent to make food prices a political priority heading into an election year, aligning with his promise to \u201crestore fairness\u201d to American markets.<\/p>\n
And the Department of Justice has been busy.An anarchist with a lengthy criminal history has been arrested for allegedly putting out a $45,000 bounty on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi\u2019s life, according to federal authorities.Tyler Maxon Avalos, 29, was taken into custody on Oct. 16 after a tipster alerted the FBI to a TikTok post that allegedly advertised a murder-for-hire plot against Bondi earlier this month, The New York Post reported.Investigators said the post showed a photo of Bondi with a \u201csniper-scope red dot\u201d on her forehead and a caption that read: \u201cWANTED: Pam Bondi \/ REWARD: 45,000 DEAD OR ALIVE \/ (PREFERABLY DEAD).\u201dUnderneath the image, Avalos allegedly wrote: \u201cCough cough. When they don\u2019t serve us, then what?\u201dAccording to court documents, Avalos used the TikTok handle \u201cWacko\u201d and displayed an anarchy symbol on his profile, which also linked to \u201cAn<\/p>\n
As the paramedics wheeled Richard away, Amara sat quietly in her seat, still trying to process what had just happened. The adrenaline that had propelled her into action was now ebbing away, leaving her exhausted and overwhelmed. She barely noticed the curious glances from other passengers or the hushed conversations about the \u201cheroic girl.\u201d Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions, pride mingling with disbelief.<\/p>\n
The flight attendants, now disarmed from their initial shock, approached her with gratitude and amazement. \u201cYou were incredible, sweetheart,\u201d one of them said, handing her a complimentary snack and a bottle of water. \u201cYou really saved that man\u2019s life.\u201d Amara nodded shyly, her cheeks warm under the attention, but inside she felt a deep sense of relief\u2014relief that her instincts had not failed her and that, in some small way, she had honored her mother\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n
As the passengers disembarked, many stopped to thank her, some offering small tokens of appreciation\u2014a granola bar, a bookmark, a pat on the shoulder. Amara accepted them all with a grateful heart, but she was still thinking about Richard and what he had tried to say amidst the chaos.<\/p>\n
At the airport, amid the sea of hurried travelers and the cacophony of announcements, Amara was greeted by her aunt, Lila, who enveloped her in a hug that chased away the remnants of her nerves. \u201cI heard what happened on the plane,\u201d her aunt said, her voice a mix of astonishment and pride. \u201cYour mom would have been so proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
They were about to leave for Brooklyn when a man in a sharp suit approached them. \u201cExcuse me, miss,\u201d he said, addressing Amara directly. \u201cI\u2019m Mr. Coleman\u2019s assistant. He asked me to find you.\u201d Amara\u2019s heart skipped a beat. She was taken to a quieter area of the airport where Richard lay in a hospital bed, surrounded by medical personnel.<\/p>\n
Despite the oxygen mask and IV lines, Richard\u2019s eyes were alert, filled with an unexpected warmth that belied his icy reputation. He gestured for the mask to be removed and beckoned Amara closer. \u201cYou saved me, young lady,\u201d he said, his voice hoarse but sincere. \u201cI owe you my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amara shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. \u201cI just did what I could.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard smiled, a hint of vulnerability in his expression. \u201cYou did more than that. You reminded me of something I\u2019d forgotten\u2014kindness, selflessness, and the value of a human life beyond profit and loss.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then he reached into his pocket and handed Amara a small envelope. \u201cInside are details for a scholarship fund I\u2019m setting up in your mother\u2019s name. It\u2019s the least I can do to honor what you\u2019ve done for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amara gasped, her eyes welling up with tears. The enormity of his gesture overwhelmed her. It was as if the universe had momentarily aligned to acknowledge her bravery and her mother\u2019s memory in the most profound way. \u201cThank you,\u201d she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. \u201cI don\u2019t know how to repay you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richard shook his head gently. \u201cYou already have, Amara. You already have.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Amara walked back to her aunt, clutching the envelope tightly, she realized that life had offered her a new beginning. With each step, the weight of her past lightened, replaced by the promise of a future she could never have imagined. And in that moment, amidst the bustling crowd of the airport, Amara knew she had found her own kind of fortune.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
President Donald Trump said Thursday he has directed the Department of Justice to investigate whether major meatpacking companies are illegally driving up beef prices, warning that corporate \u201ccollusion\u201d may be hurting both…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18035,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18036"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18036\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}