Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a Republican candidate for governor, criticized President Trump’s recent trade policies on Sunday, specifically targeting the administration's decision to suspend certain beef tariffs. Drummond, who is competing in a primary runoff election scheduled for Tuesday, stated that while he supports many of the president’s policies, he believes the current approach to beef imports is incorrect. He argued that the influx of inexpensive foreign beef would negatively impact Oklahoma’s agricultural sector.
The disagreement follows President Trump’s decision last week to temporarily halt higher tariffs on ground beef imports. The administration stated the move was intended to lower costs for American consumers. However, the plan has met with opposition from some Republican lawmakers and cattle ranchers who contend that consumer savings should not be achieved at the expense of domestic producers. This trade dispute occurs as the U.S. faces retaliatory tariffs from Canada, which are set to begin next month in response to new 50 percent U.S. tariffs on specific Canadian goods.
Drummond is currently in a closely contested runoff against Mike Mazzei, a former state senator and state budget secretary who has received an endorsement from Trump. During a recent appearance on News Nation, Mazzei emphasized his alignment with the president, noting that Trump won all 77 Oklahoma counties in three consecutive elections. Mazzei characterized Drummond as a "liberal rhino," a term used to describe Republicans perceived as being insufficiently conservative. Drummond countered by noting he has successfully sued the Biden administration 17 times and has visited the Trump White House twice in the last four months.
The dispute also involves a major industrial project, as Drummond has used his office as Attorney General to block a planned aluminum smelter in Oklahoma. The project is backed by President Trump and would be the largest of its kind in the United States, but opponents expressed concern that it would grant significant control to Dubai-based Emirates Global Aluminum. While Mazzei now supports the smelter, Drummond’s legal challenges represent a direct state-level confrontation with federal economic priorities. This sets a precedent for how state officials in traditionally loyal regions may leverage local economic interests against national party leadership.
What happens next depends on the outcome of the Tuesday runoff election, which will determine the Republican nominee for the seat held by term-limited Governor Kevin Stitt. Voters will decide between two candidates with differing views on how to handle federal trade and industrial interventions. Additionally, the broader trade conflict escalates on September 8, when Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. are scheduled to take effect. Ongoing litigation regarding the aluminum smelter remains in federal court as Drummond seeks to maintain the halt on construction.