After exchanging barbs with the Brazilian government, US president announces another surcharge from August 1, citing Bolsonaro process in the STF and “unfair” trade policy.
United States President Donald Trump reacted on Wednesday to an exchange of barbs with the Brazilian government with the imposition of an extra rate of 50% on all the goods that the country imports from Brazil, from August 1.
Currently, Brazil already pays 10% rates on products it exports to the US. The measure has been in force since April 2.
The announcement came shortly after the Brazilian government summoned the US embassy manager for explanations after diplomatic representation issued a statement that reiterated a message from Trump in support of former President Jair Bolsonaro, alleged victim of a “witch hunt.”
Days earlier, the American had already threatened to impose more tariffs on countries that align with BRICS’s “anti -American policies”, a group led by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
This time, Trump justified the 50% surcharge citing Bolsonaro’s trial in the Supreme Court (STF)-the former president is accused of trying to hit the 2022 electoral defeat-and what he called “insidious attacks from Brazil to free elections and the fundamental rights of freedom of expression of Americans.”
The Republican has already referred to Bolsonaro as a friend and received him on his mar-lag resort when both were presidents in 2020.
“This trial should not be happening,” Trump wrote in a letter posted on his network, Truth Social. “It’s a witch hunt that should end immediately! [sic]”
He also contested the STF fine to platforms such as X, referring to the temporary blockage of the network at the behest of the Court in 2024 as “orders of secret and illegal censorship.”
But Trump signaled that the mention of Bolsonaro and the Supreme Court may have been a mere pretext, as he has conditioned the suspension of tariffs to another measure: “As you know, there will be no fare if Brazil, or companies in your country, decide to build or manufacture products within the United States.”
He also cited the desire to see the Brazilian market open to the US and the end of “tariff and non -tariff trade policies and barriers”.
The American also said that he is starting an investigation against the country based on section 301 of the 1974 Commerce Law, which applies to companies whose business practices are considered unfair to companies in the United States.
Brazil has been charged at 10% since April
So far, Trump has sent 22 charts with tariff ads this week to business partners, including Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka. On Wednesday, he aimed at Brazil’s leaders from seven other countries-Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Sri Lanka-but none of them are a great industrial rival of Americans.
Although the Republican has justified their fares alleging commercial imbalances, it is unclear how the countries’ targets would help to reindustrialize the United States, as the White House intends.
Most analysts say tariffs will make inflationary pressures worse and reduce economic growth, but Trump insists on the resource as a way of affirming US diplomatic and financial power on rivals and allies.
Trump gave commercial partners who have not yet reached an agreement with the US a new deadline until August 1 to do so. This is the case of Brazil and the countries that have already received letters, but also from the European Union.
Originally published by DW on 07/09/2025
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/07/09/trump-pressiona-brasil-e-anuncia-tarifa-extra-de-50/
