US-Brazil ties plunge as Trump targets Brazilian steel exports over Bolsonaro’s prosecution; Lula vows retaliation, BRICS condemns tariff aggression.
🇺🇸🇧🇷 Trump Imposes 50% Tariff on Brazil Amid Bolsonaro Trial Tensions
Washington/ Brasilia – July 10, 2025:
US President Donald Trump has triggered a major diplomatic standoff with Brazil, announcing a steep 50% tariff on Brazilian steel imports starting August 1. The move is widely seen as retaliation against Brazil’s ongoing trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally, over his alleged coup attempts following his 2022 electoral defeat.
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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who narrowly defeated Bolsonaro in a bitterly contested election, has condemned Trump’s actions as “interference” and warned of countermeasures. “Any unilateral tariff increases will be addressed under Brazil’s Law of Economic Reciprocity,” Lula declared on X (formerly Twitter).
🧾 What Prompted Trump’s Tariff Move?
In a letter to President Lula, Trump condemned the Bolsonaro trial as an “international disgrace” and labeled it political persecution, echoing the “witch hunt” rhetoric he’s used in his own legal battles. The US Embassy in Brasilia reinforced Trump’s views in an official statement, calling Bolsonaro and his family “strong partners of the United States.”
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Trump wrote, “Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections will not go unanswered,” adding that more economic actions could follow if Brazil retaliates.
⚙️ Steel Exports at the Center of Trade War
Brazil is the second-largest exporter of steel to the US after Canada, shipping 4 million tonnes of the metal in 2024 alone. The sudden tariff hike on such a vital sector could have ripple effects on global trade and Brazil’s industrial output.
Though Trump has previously threatened multiple nations with tariff hikes, Brazil was not on the list until now. His announcement caught both Washington and Brasilia by surprise.
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👥 Bolsonaro Case: Echoes of Jan 6
The charges against Bolsonaro stem from his alleged efforts to cling to power and his supporters’ 2023 storming of government buildings, reminiscent of the January 6, 2021 US Capitol riot. Bolsonaro has denied all allegations and was reportedly abroad during the unrest. He is banned from running in the 2026 presidential election.
Trump has continued to offer public support, recently posting: “LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE… They have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night!”
Bolsonaro responded by thanking Trump for defending “peace, justice, and liberty.”
🌐 BRICS Nations Push Back
The tariff announcement came as BRICS leaders met in Brazil, where member states collectively condemned Trump’s escalating trade restrictions and his military strike on Iran. In response, Trump warned of an additional 10% tariff on all BRICS nations, further heightening global economic tensions.
President Lula dismissed Trump’s posture, stating, “We are sovereign nations, not subjects to an emperor.”
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