Trump works to woo farmers in aftermath of Iran war : NPR
NPR Topics: Politics — 2026-06-25 15:12:00 — www.npr.org
Trump Touts Unclear Iran Farm Deal as Farmers Feel Economic Strain
President Trump has promoted a proposal that would require Iran to use its unfrozen assets to purchase American agricultural products, a plan he has highlighted on social media as a potential win for both U.S. farmers and the Iranian people. The administration has presented this idea as a “classic Trump deal,” with Vice President JD Vance describing it as a way to “make American farmers richer and to feed the Iranian people” if Iranian assets are released.
However, the details of the proposal remain vague. While the administration claims that U.S. and Qatari officials would oversee the funds to ensure they are spent on American corn, soy, and wheat, Iranian officials have publicly insisted that only they would control their assets. Despite this contradiction, Trump has continued to promote the plan, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed the message, stating that a large percentage of the money would be used for U.S. foodstuffs and medicines.
The push comes as Trump faces declining support among rural voters, a group that has historically been a key part of his political base. Polls cited in the report show that rural voters’ net approval of Trump has dropped from plus 22 percentage points at the start of his term to negative 10 points this month. Analysts attribute this decline to economic hardships caused by Trump’s own policies, including trade wars that have damaged the U.S. soybean market and the war in Iran, which has driven up fertilizer and diesel prices.
Despite the administration’s efforts to court farmers—including a recent request for an additional $11 billion in farm aid and high-profile events with farmers—experts warn that promises of future deals may not be enough. As Republican pollster Whit Ayres notes, “Promises of things that might happen in the future if things all go our way and the Iranians decide to buy a bunch of agricultural products, even though they say they’re not going to do so—that’s just like smoke and mirrors.”
In summary, while Trump continues to tout the Iran farm deal as a solution for struggling American farmers, the lack of concrete details and Iran’s resistance to the proposal raise questions about its viability. With rural support eroding, the administration’s rhetoric may not be enough to reverse the political damage caused by its own economic policies.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/25/nx-s1-5869461/trump-works-to-woo-farmers-in-aftermath-of-iran-war