Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 50 percent tariff on goods manufactured in Brazil, significantly escalating trade tensions with the South American nation.
The proposed measure was outlined in one of several tariff letters posted by Trump on social media this week. In the letter addressed to Brazil, Trump accused the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of targeting US tech companies and conducting a “witch hunt” against former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2022 election result.
Lula responded firmly via social media, warning that any increase in tariffs on Brazilian exports would be met with reciprocal action. He also rejected Trump’s criticism of Brazil’s judiciary, stating that the country would not tolerate external interference in its legal system.
The latest clash comes amid Bolsonaro’s ongoing trial over a failed bid to cling to power after his election defeat. Thousands of his supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília in January 2023. Bolsonaro, who was in the US at the time, has denied any involvement.
Earlier this week, Lula stated pointedly: “Brazil will not accept interference from anyone. No one is above the law.”
In addition to the Brazil measures, Trump confirmed that a previously announced 50 percent tariff on copper imports would come into force on August 1, citing national security concerns.
The Brazil letter was part of a broader effort by Trump to revive a series of tariffs initially floated in April but postponed following negative market reaction. Over the past week, Trump has sent 22 letters to countries including Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka, announcing fresh tariffs on a range of goods effective from 1 August.
However, the message to Brazil was notably more aggressive. Trump described the 50 percent levy as “necessary to rectify the grave injustices of the current regime,” a sharp increase from the 10 percent rate previously proposed by the White House.
Despite the trade threat, the US maintained a trade surplus with Brazil last year—exporting more goods to the country than it imported.
In his letter, Trump said he would instruct the US Trade Representative to launch a Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s digital trade practices—a legal pathway often used by Washington to justify retaliatory trade measures.
Trump accused Brazil of censorship and attacks on free speech, referencing court rulings that ordered suspensions of certain social media accounts, including those tied to Trump Media and Elon Musk’s platform X. The Brazilian supreme court recently ruled that platforms can be held responsible for content published on them.
Trump also used the letter to voice strong support for Bolsonaro, calling him a respected leader and describing the legal proceedings against him as “an international disgrace.”
During their overlapping terms, Trump and Bolsonaro enjoyed a close political relationship, with Bolsonaro often referred to as the “Trump of the Tropics.” Both leaders refused to concede defeat after losing elections and have drawn parallels between their legal troubles.
“This is nothing more or less than an attack on a political opponent—something I know much about!” Trump said earlier this week. Bolsonaro publicly thanked him for the backing.
Trump also lashed out at the recent Brics summit held in Rio de Janeiro, calling the bloc of emerging economies—including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—“anti-American” and announcing an additional 10 percent tariff on goods from Brics countries.
Lula dismissed Trump’s rhetoric in a statement on Monday, saying: “He needs to understand that the world has changed. We don’t want an emperor.”
