The White House defended President Donald Trump’s temporary suspension of higher tariffs on ground beef imports after a report that Brazilian billionaire Joesley Batista influenced the decision. A White House official told NewsNation the 90-day action, allowing up to 300,000 metric tons of ground-beef product at a 25 percent discount below market price, resulted from long policy planning and coordination with domestic stakeholders rather than any one conversation. Trump said the measure aims to lower ground beef prices for working families while the U.S. cattle herd, at a multi-decade low, rebuilds. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump met Batista, who co-controls global meatpacker JBS, in the Oval Office on Aug. 20 and that Batista lobbied to drop a 26 percent import tax. Pilgrim’s Pride, controlled by JBS, contributed $5 million to Trump’s inauguration, the largest single donation. Batista and his brother earlier agreed to a $256 million Justice Department fine over Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations tied to a Brazilian bribery scheme. Ranchers and Republican lawmakers have criticized the tariff pause.