U.S. President Donald Trump has ignited a diplomatic row with Brazil after threatening to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, accusing the South American nation of unfair digital trade practices and targeting U.S. tech firms. In a letter shared on social media, Trump also condemned Brazil’s ongoing prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro, calling it a “witch hunt” and an “international disgrace.”
The sharp escalation marks a departure from earlier tariff announcements that largely revived Trump’s previously paused April trade plan. While other countries such as Japan and South Korea also received letters outlining new tariffs set to begin on August 1, Trump’s message to Brazil was particularly pointed. He claimed the measures were needed “to rectify the grave injustices of the current regime,” and said he would initiate a Section 301 investigation an established U.S. legal process used to justify tariffs.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva swiftly responded, warning that any tariff hike would be met with reciprocal measures. He also criticized Trump’s comments on Brazil’s judiciary, stating, “No one is above the law,” and vowing to defend Brazil’s sovereignty.
Tensions escalated further as Trump praised Bolsonaro his ideological ally amid the former Brazilian leader’s trial over his alleged involvement in a plot to overturn the 2022 election. Bolsonaro supporters stormed Brazil’s Congress in January 2023, echoing the January 6 Capitol riot in the U.S. Bolsonaro, who was in the U.S. at the time, denies any role in the unrest.
Trump’s letter accused Brazil of “insidious attacks on free elections” and censorship of U.S. social media platforms, referencing Brazilian court orders that suspended platforms like Elon Musk’s X and Trump Media. Last month, Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled social platforms could be held liable for misinformation a decision that has sparked pushback from tech companies.
The dispute has also spilled into geopolitics, with Trump labeling the recent BRICS summit in Rio as “anti-American” and vowing an additional 10% tariff on member nations’ goods.
Lula dismissed Trump’s rhetoric, saying, “He needs to know that the world has changed. We don’t want an emperor.”
