President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he plans to levy a 50% tariff on Brazil because of the country’s prosecution of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, for allegedly leading a coup attempt.
“I knew and dealt with former President Jair Bolsonaro, and respected him greatly, as did most other Leaders of Countries. The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace. This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote in a letter to Brazil’s current leader, Lula da Silva, which he posted on Truth Social.
Trump is referring to the right-wing Bolsonaro’s ongoing trial before Brazil’s supreme court for allegedly participating in an attempt to overturn the results of the country’s 2022 election. Bolsonaro’s behavior is reminiscent of some of Trump’s actions following the 2020 election.
Per The New York Times, Bolsonaro had suggested “apparent patterns in vote results show proof of fraud,” repeatedly said “that election officials count votes in secret, suggesting they could manipulate results” and suspected “hackers tried to steal the presidential election from him in 2018, but failed.”
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After Bolsonaro lost the election, The Times reported, he cast doubt on the results and tried to find ways in the nation’s constitution to prevent Lula from taking up his post. Thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters, convinced the election had been stolen, later stormed key government buildings including Brazil’s federal court, Congress and presidential offices.
Wednesday was not the first time Trump has expressed support for Bolsonaro. He wrote Monday on Truth Social that Bolsonaro “is not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE.”
Trump’s Wednesday letter says that the 50% tariff on “any and all Brazilian products sent to the United States” will go into effect on Aug. 1. If Brazil raises tariffs on the U.S., the U.S. will reciprocate and add that figure onto the 50%, per the letter.
“Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal,” Trump wrote.
Per the Office of the United States Trade Representative, “the U.S. goods trade surplus with Brazil was $7.4 billion in 2024, a 31.9 percent increase ($1.8 billion) over 2023.”
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