Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro is being tried on charges of attempting to stage a coup against the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Among a batch of letters that President Donald Trump sent out to several U.S. trading partners on July 9 was one issued to Brazil threatening to impose a 50 percent tariff on its exports to the United States.
Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday a copy of his letter sent to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in which he accused the nation of becoming an “international disgrace” due to the ongoing trial of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally.
Sometimes referred to as the “Trump of the Tropics,” Bolsonaro is currently on trial for charges stemming from an alleged plot to overturn Brazil’s 2022 election results. Prosecutors allege that Bolsonaro and several associates were attempting a coup d’état, including an alleged plan to assassinate da Silva.
Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing and any involvement in the alleged coup plot.
In his letter, Trump called Bolsonaro’s trial a “witch hunt” and said it should end immediately.
“Due in part to Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans … starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge Brazil a Tariff of 50% on any and all Brazilian products sent into the United States,” Trump wrote.
He also cited Brazil’s nontariff trade barriers in his decision to impose the new tariff rate.
“There will be no Tariff if Brazil, or companies within your Country, decide to build or manufacture product within the United States and, in fact, we will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely—in other words, in a matter of weeks,” Trump added.
While the other 21 countries that Trump sent letters to this week were set to return to April’s reciprocal tariff levels, Brazil was not, as it instead received only the 10 percent baseline tariff that was imposed on all U.S. trading partners.
By Jacob Burg
