On July 9, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, warning of a 50% tariff on all Brazilian goods entering the United States starting August 1. The letter, posted on Trump’s Truth Social account, strongly criticized Brazil’s trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, calling it a “Witch Hunt” and demanding it be stopped immediately.
Bolsonaro, a close ally of Trump, is currently on trial for allegedly trying to overturn Lula’s election victory. Trump said Bolsonaro is a “highly respected leader” and that the legal case is a disgrace to international democracy.
Trump also accused Brazil of unfair trade practices and censorship of U.S. social media companies. He said the 50% tariff is necessary to fix what he described as years of unbalanced trade and policy actions by Brazil. Trump added that goods trying to bypass the tariff by being rerouted would also face the same penalties.
In response, President Lula posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying Brazil would not tolerate threats or interference. He said any new U.S. tariffs would be met with similar action under Brazil’s Law of Economic Reciprocity. “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions,” Lula stated firmly.
This is the first time in recent months a country has promised to strike back against Trump’s tariff threats. So far, Trump has sent similar letters to leaders of 21 other countries, but none had responded with counter-threats until now.
According to U.S. government data, Brazil had a $7.4 billion trade deficit with the U.S. in 2024. That means the U.S. exported more to Brazil than it imported. U.S. exports to Brazil included aircraft, fuels, machinery, and electronics — sectors that could suffer if Brazil imposes its own tariffs in return.
Since April, most Brazilian goods have already been facing a 10% import tariff under Trump’s “reciprocal tariff” policy. That rate was meant to last for 90 days but has now been extended until August 1.
Trump’s letter also mentioned that if Brazil opens its markets and removes trade barriers, the U.S. might reconsider or adjust the 50% tariff. He warned, however, that the tariff could be raised even further if Brazil retaliates.
This isn’t the first time Trump has used tariffs to try to influence decisions in other countries, but it’s one of the most direct cases involving legal action against a former foreign leader.
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