WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has threatened to slap a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports and called for the end of the ongoing trial of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro, escalating a sharp diplomatic clash between Washington and Brasília.
In a public letter posted on social media Wednesday, Trump accused Brazil of targeting U.S. tech firms and pursuing what he described as a politically driven prosecution of Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial for his alleged role in an attempted coup following the 2022 election.
The letter, circulated alongside 21 other tariff warnings to global trading partners, marked a stark departure from earlier proposals. Brazil had previously faced a 10% tariff under Trump’s April trade plans. This latest announcement raises the figure to 50%, signaling a more direct confrontation.
Trump wrote, “These actions are necessary to correct the deep injustices of Brazil’s current regime.” He also directed the U.S. Trade Representative to launch a formal Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s digital trade policies, which may provide the legal basis for new trade penalties.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responded swiftly, warning that any tariffs imposed on Brazilian goods would be matched with equal measures. “We won’t tolerate interference in our justice system,” Lula said, reaffirming Brazil’s sovereignty. “No one is above the law.”
The row comes as Bolsonaro stands trial for allegedly inciting an insurrection in January 2023, when thousands of his supporters stormed Brazil’s Congress after his election loss. Bolsonaro, who was in the United States at the time, denies involvement.
In his letter, Trump described Bolsonaro’s trial as “an international disgrace” and said he held the former president in high regard. “I respect him greatly,” Trump said, adding that the case resembled political attacks he himself has faced. “This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a political opponent something I know much about!”
Trump’s comments drew a sharp rebuke from Lula, who earlier this week said, “We do not accept interference. He [Trump] must understand that the world has changed. We don’t want an emperor.”
The dispute also highlights growing tensions over free speech and tech regulation. Brazil’s courts have previously ordered social media firms including Trump’s own Truth Social and Elon Musk’s X to restrict accounts accused of spreading false information about Brazil’s 2022 election. Brazil’s Supreme Court recently ruled that platforms can be held responsible for user content, a move condemned by Trump as censorship.
U.S. officials have voiced concern. The State Department called the Houthi-style attacks on American business interests “a violation of digital freedom,” while the administration emphasized national security as justification for broader tariffs.
Trump also confirmed this week that a 50% tariff on copper imports will take effect on August 1. That announcement, along with his global tariff letters, revives trade plans first proposed in April but paused following market concerns.
Though the U.S. traditionally runs a trade surplus with Brazil, Trump’s message to Brasília was uniquely forceful compared to other tariff announcements. He also targeted the BRICS summit held in Rio de Janeiro last Sunday, calling the bloc “anti-American” and warning its members of an additional 10% import tax.
Brazil is not alone in this diplomatic storm. Trump’s letters reached other U.S. trade partners, including Japan, South Korea, and Sri Lanka, with new tariffs set to begin next month.
As Bolsonaro’s trial unfolds in Brazil’s top court, Trump’s intervention has added fresh strain to U.S.-Brazil relations, putting Washington’s commitment to non-interference and democratic principles under renewed scrutiny.
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