It has been a wild first fifteen days of the new Trump Administration in Washington. Randy Russell is president of the Russell Group, and served as Chief of Staff for Secretary of Agriculture John Block. Speaking Tuesday at the Ag Leads 2.0 Conference in Chapel Hill, NC, Russell said he’s never seen a new president hit the ground running like this.
“The number of executive orders and the number of actions that have been taken, including just what we saw yesterday with the negotiations with President Scheinbaum in Mexico and Trudeau in Canada, and putting off the duties for 30 days. But then duties were slapped on China at 10% last night, they turn around and retaliate with 15% on ag equipment and liquefied natural gas and coal. Every hour it seems like there’s something else that is happening.”
But he’s not surprised. Russell says, like him or not, Trump is a man who gets things done.
“That’s how President Trump operates. He came in, he believes with a mandate. And unlike 2017 when he came in, in 2025 I think he had a much better sense this time around of exactly what he wanted to accomplish and who he wanted to bring with him to help accomplish it.”
Russell also notes much of what is taking place and needs to take place has a direct effect on agriculture.
“We’ve got trade tariffs. We have to deal with the budget deficit. We have to try to pass a new Farm Bill. We’ve got to try to get new trade agreements. We have immigration issues that obviously affect the impact and the supply of ag labor. There is no rest for the weary in Washington.”
Therefore, he says the confirmation of Brooke Rollins as USDA Secretary is “absolutely essential” for American ag.
“She was reported out of committee on a 23-to-nothing vote. As you might know, Mike, with some of the other nominees, getting out of committee has been a big deal, but she got voted out unanimously, which I think speaks volumes about her capabilities, her integrity and her background. I think she’s going to do a great job.”