President Donald Trump‘s Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box where she was asked about the pledge made in October by China to buy 12 million metric tons of American soybeans by January 2026.
[Note: In September, Chinese leader Xi Jinping retaliated against Trump‘s imposed tariffs by halting all purchases of American soybeans. U.S. soybean farmers who rely on Chinese purchases (25 percent of U.S. soybeans are sold to China) called the effect of the halt “a five-alarm fire.”‘
According to the most recent USDA report, China recently made two large purchases in total of 230,000 metric tons, bringing China’s total recent soybean buys to nearly 1 million metric tons. Or about 10 percent of the pledge.
Rollins was reminded that there are less than two months left in the year and was asked, “How is that pledge, if it’s a real pledge, China has not confirmed that pledge, going to be made in that quick of a time?”
Rollins replied, that actually about a million metric tons have been bought by China and added, “But your point is still salient. A million and a half of 12 million, we’ve got a significant way to go.”
CNBC: My understanding is the White House said that China was gonna buy 12 million tons of soybeans from the US by January. That’s approaching and they’ve only purchased 332,000. China has not confirmed that pledge.
BROOKE ROLLINS: Your point is salient. We’ve got a significant… pic.twitter.com/LvZ5DSvS2Q
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 24, 2025
Rollins added, “I know they are inking the deal this week or next week,” and insisted, “Every sign is their commitment remains true, that they will indeed buy or purchase 12 million metric tons.”
Rollins noted “That doesn’t mean we’ll move 12 million metric tons by the end of December but it means those orders will come in according to their commitment and their promise to our President, Secretary Bessent, and Ambassador Greer.”
MAGA influencers continue to believe in the negotiation power of the Trump administration, as Paul A. Szypula wrote: “Pledges are pledges. If China doesn’t abide by theirs then that’ll cost them at the negotiating table.”
Democratic political pundit Jo Fernandez replied to Rollins’ comments with sarcasm: “Oh good. We’re just going with a pinky swear from one of our geopolitical adversaries— a country which would very much like to see us fail. What could go wrong?”
Note: The farmer who called the halt of Chinese purchases of American soybeans “a five-alarm fire,” Caleb Ragland, who serves as president of the American Soybean Association, last week thanked Trump for amending the scope of his imposed reciprocal tariffs to make sure fertilizers used for soybean production “will no longer face import duties.”
Soybean farmer: We depend on the Chinese market. And right now we have 0 sold for this crop. It’s a 5 alarm fire for our industry. We are not price competitive with Brazil due to the retaliatory tariffs. Our prices are about 20% higher, and that means that the Chinese are going… pic.twitter.com/NWULmCNDSz
— FactPost (@factpostnews) September 15, 2025
In a recent press release, Ragland said Trump’s executive order will help soybean farmers who “are currently making difficult financial decisions as they plan for next year’s planting after a harvest season full of challenges.”