Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has formally requested President Donald Trump to rescind current tariff and trade policies, asserting they are exacerbating a cost-of-living crisis for American families and severely damaging key Kentucky industries. In a letter sent today, Governor Beshear highlighted the financial burden on consumers and the detrimental effects on the state's agriculture, bourbon, and coal sectors.
Governor Beshear said, "It is the American consumer, not the foreign exporter, who pays the price for Trump’s failed tariff and trade strategy, with estimates showing that hardworking Americans could pay more than $330 billion in tariff costs in 2026, which equates to more than $2,500 per family." He noted that these policies have led to significant price increases, with families paying an average of $310 more for groceries in 2025, $575 more for gas this year compared to last, and a $110 spike in average electric bills.
The Governor's letter also detailed the severe impact on Kentucky's signature industries. The bourbon industry has seen spirits exports plummet, including an 85% decrease to Canada and a 12% decrease to the European Union, resulting in layoffs and a record backlog of 16 million barrels. For coal, tariffs inflate equipment costs and reduce competitiveness, as Alliance Resource Partners shared that the “tariffs, along with potential retaliatory measures, could reduce economic activity, increase costs, decrease demand and alter purchasing behaviors for thermal and metallurgical coal.” Furthermore, Trump's plan to import beef threatens Kentucky's cattle farmers, the largest beef cattle-producing state east of the Mississippi River.