Trump Targets Brazil with 50% Tariffs Amid Bolsonaro Trial

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his trade war tactics by imposing a 50% tariff on Brazilian exports to the United States. In a letter addressed to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Trump cited Brazil’s alleged attacks on free elections and free speech—particularly the legal actions against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro—as justification for the punitive tax. Trump described the tariff as necessary to “rectify the grave injustices” of Lula's government and claimed the 50% rate was still less than what would be required for a level playing field between the two countries.

Unlike his usual trade letters, which focus broadly on trade imbalances, Trump’s letter to Lula was highly personal and confrontational. It marked a significant intensification in his public feud with Lula and his defense of Bolsonaro, who Trump views as a political ally and ideological counterpart. Bolsonaro, often referred to as the “Trump of the Tropics,” led Brazil from 2019 to 2023. He lost re-election to Lula in a tight 2022 runoff but refused to concede, raising doubts about the results and questioning the legitimacy of Brazil’s electronic voting system—much like Trump did following the 2020 U.S. election.

Following the 2022 election, Bolsonaro’s supporters staged violent demonstrations, blocked roads, and stormed government buildings in Brasília in an apparent attempt to trigger military intervention. Prosecutors allege Bolsonaro conspired to stage a coup d’état that could have resulted in arrests of Supreme Court justices and the cancellation of the election. Investigations also revealed discussions of extreme measures, including potentially poisoning Lula. Bolsonaro and 33 others were charged in February 2025 based on a federal police probe, and his case is ongoing before Brazil’s Supreme Court. Bolsonaro denies all charges and claims political persecution.

Trump, who himself faces criminal indictments over attempts to overturn the 2020 U.S. election, drew parallels between his legal troubles and Bolsonaro’s. On social media, Trump expressed empathy for Bolsonaro, writing, “It happened to me, times 10.” In his letter to Lula, Trump denounced Bolsonaro’s trial as a “Witch Hunt” and an “international disgrace,” demanding its immediate termination. He also revealed that he had instructed U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to launch an investigation into Brazil’s trade practices under the Trade Act of 1974.

Despite Trump’s claims of an unfair trade relationship, data from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office shows the U.S. ran a trade surplus with Brazil in 2024, exporting $49.7 billion in goods and importing $42.3 billion—a $7.4 billion surplus. Nonetheless, Trump continues to use tariffs as tools not only to address trade grievances but also to influence foreign governments' domestic policies, including those related to speech, immigration, and digital regulation.

Trump had previously targeted Brazil’s judiciary as well. In February, his media company sued Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, accusing him of restricting online freedom of speech in the U.S., as de Moraes was leading the Bolsonaro coup investigation.

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro, now barred from holding public office for eight years, maintains his innocence and popularity. On social media, he wrote, “They try to annihilate him politically, morally, and judicially,” and reposted Trump’s call to “Leave the Great Former President of Brazil alone.” Lula responded to Trump’s threats with a firm remark: “The world has changed. We don’t want an emperor.”