Former U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Brazil halt the ongoing trial of ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, labeling the legal proceedings a politically motivated “witch hunt” and threatening steep economic penalties. In a message on his social media platform, Trump announced a 50% tariff on all Brazilian imports, set to take effect on August 1. He justified the move by citing Brazilian “attacks” on American tech firms and the need to correct what he called “grave injustices” under the current administration.
“The trial should not be taking place — it is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!” Trump wrote, declaring the prosecution of Bolsonaro an “international disgrace.” Bolsonaro faces multiple corruption charges and was previously named by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project as its 2020 Person of the Year for enabling organized crime. In 2022, a Brazilian electoral court fined his coalition $4 million for filing a bad-faith lawsuit to challenge election results. A conviction could bar him from the 2026 presidential race.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rejected the tariff threat and Trump’s remarks, calling them “unwanted interference” in the country’s judiciary. “Brazil is a sovereign country,” Lula stated. “We do not accept tutelage from anyone. We don’t interfere in the justice system of the United States, and we demand the same respect.” He warned that Brazil would retaliate under its Economic Reciprocity Law if the tariffs are enacted.
Trump also instructed U.S. trade officials to investigate Brazilian trade practices, escalating tensions between the two nations.