What a Second Trump Term May Mean for Veganism
Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election here in the United States. How will this affect the vegan movement?
Photo: Lizabet Roberts Photography
January 20th, 2025, is right around the corner. With Donald Trump regaining his position of authority in the American government, the vegan movement may be headed toward complications. With most Republicans holding anti-vegan opinions, we may have to become more active than we ever have been.
Tariffs
First, what is a tariff? We have heard the president-elect rant about these magical taxes, but what exactly are they?
According to the Tax Foundation, “Tariffs are taxes imposed by one country on goods imported from another country. Tariffs are trade barriers that raise prices, reduce available quantities of goods and services for U.S. businesses and consumers, and create an economic burden on foreign exporters.” Trump believes that by utilizing tariffs on imported goods, the exporters will foot the bill, leading to more work and products being conducted and utilized within the United States.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Yes, exporters will be taxed higher when selling us goods here in America, but if you know anything about business (like Donald Trump surely should by now), these exporters are not going to lose any money.
When faced with increasing taxes (up to 25%) on exports, exporters raise the prices of their goods to cover the new tax increase. This increase means your once $1,000 smartphone can now cost an additional $250.
The most common goods imported to the U.S. are cars, pharmaceuticals, and technology. Even Tesla cars and trucks (owned by Trump’s on-again, off-again buddy, Elon Musk), who manufacture their cars in China and Germany (alongside factories in the U.S.), can now cost American consumers an additional $12,500.
Cow flesh and living cows (alongside other animals and animal products) are also heavily imported. In the first six months of 2024, the U.S. imported over one million living cows used for human consumption than in the same period of 2023 (a 19% increase). During the same 6-month span, imported “fresh” and frozen cow flesh climbed 11% and 29% (over 331,000 and 365,000 metric tons of flesh). Cows are crammed into airplanes, boats, and trucks where they are unable to turn around, eat, drink, sleep, or roam for days.
All imported animal products are going to see an increase in price by up to 25%. If you thought the price of eggs was high now, just wait! When it comes to vegan foods, consumers may also see an increase.
Many non-vegans and even several vegans claim that veganism is very expensive already, with plant-based alternatives like vegan cheeses and plant milks costing more than their animal-based counterparts.
However, the evidence disputing the claim that a vegan diet is expensive is concrete. A 2021 Oxford Study found that a vegan’s grocery bill, on average, reduces food costs by up to one-third. When eating a whole-foods plant-based (WFPB) diet, consumers rely on the cheapest staples in the store, like pasta, beans, and rice.
Because a percentage rather than a blanket increase will implement these tariffs, a 14 oz $1.75 block of tofu from Aldi will, at most, increase to $2.18. Based on the same percentage of increase, a pound of $5.29 ground cow flesh will increase to $6.61. To break that down, tofu may increase as high as $0.43, whereas a cow’s flesh will increase as high as $1.32. I took these prices directly from my local Aldi on 1/1/25.
Although this seems like a win for the vegan movement, as more people may have to turn to plant-based alternatives out of cost-effectiveness, there are some hidden issues. Yes, many plant-based alternatives are made and sold in the United States; however, their ingredients are not always locally sourced, and most can’t be.
Most cashew and jackfruit production can not take place in the United States because of their need for an extremely hot and humid environment. Soy, on the other hand, can and is produced in the United States. The top producers of soy in our country are Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota.
Depending on what groceries you choose to buy after Trump regains power in the Oval Office will impact your grocery bill. The best option for anyone looking to save some money is to adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet with locally sourced ingredients from farmer’s markets, co-ops, or even your home garden.
Remember, it’s a lot easier and more cost-effective to grow vegetables than it is to purchase a living being, feed them for years on grains and soy, and eventually slit their throat and eat their flesh.
You can easily make your own oat milk, tempeh, and seitan from home.
Lab-Grown Meat
The concept of lab-grown meat has been discussed extensively lately, especially in politics. But what is lab-grown meat, and how is it created?
According to the Associated Press, “[i]t’s meat grown from the cells of animals in steel tanks. Though it’s known in the industry as cultivated meat, it’s sometimes called cultured meat, lab-grown meat or cell-based meat. There are more than 150 companies around the world trying to develop these food products. They’re working on a variety of meats: chicken, beef, pork and lamb.”
Lab-grown meat is not vegan. Anything that is derived from an animal or exploits an animal during production is not vegan. Therefore, this cell-based meat does not fit the requirements of the vegan label. Would the creation and distribution of cultivated meat save animal lives? Possibly, but veganism is not utilitarianism. Veganism and animal rights are not about animal welfare or “bettering” the lives of animals. Veganism and animal rights are about abolishing all forms of animal exploitation, including the use of animals in the development of meatless meat-like products, like in lab-grown meat.
Yet so many people associate lab-grown meat with vegans. So, let’s entertain the idea for this article.
Florida was the first state to release a statement against cultivated meat in May 2024. Two months later, the bill went into effect on July 1st, 2024, banning and criminalizing the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat in the state.
The G.O.P. believes that banning lab-grown meat will help U.S. farmers and ranchers who enslave, abuse, exploit, and violate non-human animals for human enjoyment and financial gain. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated, “Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals. We will save our beef.”
It’s safe to say the Republicans are very confused and may even feel threatened. With the introduction of plant-based alternatives, the question of manhood and masculinity is constantly raised by the conservative party. Perhaps Republicans still believe the myth that there is estrogen in soy that can give men enlarged breast tissue. Maybe they believe leading a non-violent lifestyle makes you attracted to other men or even, God forbid, a woman yourself! These ideas are constant themes in Carol J. Adams’ books The Sexual Politics of Meat and The Pornography of Meat. I highly recommend both to anyone who hasn’t made the connection between misogynistic/homophobic ideologies and the animal-oppressing nature of toxic masculinity.
With the current conversation surrounding lab-grown meat from the Republican lens, we can assume that lab-grown meat will be difficult to acquire, especially in red states. Either way, lab-grown meat is not vegan. The end doesn’t justify the means.
Project 2025
According to CBS, “Project 2025 is a proposed presidential transition project that is composed of four pillars: a policy guide for the next presidential administration; a LinkedIn-style database of personnel who could serve in the next administration; training for that pool of candidates dubbed the ‘Presidential Administration Academy;’ and a playbook of actions to be taken within the first 180 days in office.”
That playbook of actions includes the implementation of detrimental legislation that will strip rights away from BIPOC, LGBTQ+ members, women, undocumented individuals, non-human animals, and protected environments.
According to EarthJustice, “Project 2025 is 900 pages, and 150 of them are about how to destroy the environment. This deregulatory agenda, written by former Trump government officials and Heritage Foundation staff, would strip away our rights to clean air, clean water, and a healthy planet.”
EarthJustice highlights in their article the four main damages Project 2025 plans to enact.
“Gut the Endangered Species Act (ESA): Project 2025 would rewrite the most successful legal tool we have for protecting wildlife in ways that would harm imperiled species. It specifically calls for removing protections from gray wolves and Yellowstone grizzlies.
No need for national monuments: Another proposal would repeal the Antiquities Act, which would strip the president of the ability to protect priceless public lands and waters as national monuments.
Weaken the Clean Air Act: Project 2025 would nix the part of the law that requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set health-based air quality standards.
Less say for communities in environmental decisions: The plan would undermine key portions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which ensures you have a voice in major projects built near you.”
Aside from these obvious threats, human and non-human animals face obstacles down the line that could have irreversible impacts on the vegan movement.
The fewer humans who cannot be outside due to air pollution or a lack of access to National Parks and Monuments, the less they will understand why protecting non-human animals and the environment is important. It’s easy to neglect the issues raised by animal rights and environmental activists when you don’t step outside and witness the wonderful things and beings the Earth has created that are constantly at risk.
Although Trump has claimed to know nothing about Project 2025, it’s hard to believe he will not move forward with this curated blueprint. On several occasions, Trump has denied Climate Change, reversed environmental protection, and shown an overall lack of understanding and compassion regarding environmental efforts. It’s also worth mentioning that although Donald Trump claims not to know who is behind The Heritage Foundation, he has direct ties to the founders of the conservative “think-tank” and the writers of Project 2025. According to The Heritage Foundation’s website, “[a]fter President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration, there were a number of conservative policy victories, most notably tax reform, and The Heritage Foundation played a role in all of them.”
The Politics of Meat
Meat and other animal agriculture industries are heavily connected to all governments worldwide, but more so than ever in the United States. In 2024, the meat processing and products industry lobbied nearly $3,000,000 into the United States government to attempt to influence public policy in its favor. The highest year for meat-based lobbying was 2007, with over $6,000,000 funneled into the influence attempt. In Midwestern states, four out of the top five recipients of meat industry money in the past twenty years have been Republicans.
Between the two political parties, the Democrats adopt greener initiatives and are more in favor of veganism. Democrats are significantly more likely to either be vegan or be open to the idea of veganism than Republicans. According to researchers at Brock University, Republicans are believed to lack empathy for social justice concerns and social support, resulting in their lack of concern for animal welfare.
The Associated Press found that Republican voters believe veganism and instances of animal liberation are a direct attack on their way of life. Many Republican government officials lead their campaigns on the “freedom” to consume animals and view a veggie burger as a disgrace to America. The more Republicans we have in office, especially those like Donald Trump, the more pro-meat propaganda our country will succumb to. With pro-meat messaging flooding media and eventually wiggling its way into legislation, animal lives are on the line more than ever.
Activism
It’s also worth noting that the more rights that are taken away from minorities like BIPOC, LGBTQ+ members, and women, the less time activists who are minorities are able to devote to the vegan movement. The fastest-growing vegan demographic in the United States belongs to Black Americans. A recent poll asked in a UK-based vegan Facebook group found that 66.4% of the group’s members identified as LGBTQ+. Regardless of what study you read, most vegans identify as women. If BIPOC, LGBTQ+ members, and women are fighting for their rights as humans, they will lose ample time and energy that could be dedicated to fighting for non-human animals. As life in America becomes more dangerous for these minorities, they may face consistent challenges that prevent them from fighting for the animals.
All social movements are political; this includes Vegan-Feminism. I am disappointed in the outcome of 2024’s election and wish the United States was ready for a female President. Although things will not be easy, that is not a reason to throw in the towel. Everyone whose rights are now endangered needs us to fight like we have never fought before. I am counting on you to join in this conversation, rebellion, and overall movement for a better world.