𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐏 𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝟓𝟎% 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐅 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 "𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐀𝐍" 𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐎 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄

 

Wannabe "Strong Men" Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump

Donald Trump has long admired authoritarian strongmen like Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Viktor Orbán. Now, he’s lashing out at Brazil, not over economics, but because the country removed Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right ally currently facing criminal charges for trying to overturn the 2022 election.

Bolsonaro’s presidency was defined by authoritarianism: anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, pro-torture statements, hostility toward the press, (calls reporters "fake news") and repeated legal scandals. Human rights groups around the world warned that his actions endangered democracy, threatened indigenous populations, and eroded civil liberties.

But instead of condemning Bolsonaro’s anti-democratic actions, Trump is punishing Brazil for holding him accountable. In direct response to Bolsonaro’s ongoing trial, Trump has announced a massive 50% tariff on all Brazilian imports starting August 1. He’s dismissed the trial as a “witch hunt” and claimed, without evidence, that Brazil is persecuting conservatives and unfairly targeting U.S. tech companies. Trump also ordered a Section 301 investigation, opening the door to even more aggressive trade measures.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva blasted Trump’s move, calling his trade deficit claims “false” and citing U.S. government data showing a $410 billion U.S. trade surplus with Brazil over the past 15 years. Lula warned that Brazil would invoke its new Economic Reciprocity Law to hit back equally: “If he charges us 50%, we’ll charge him 50%.”

Lula also defended Brazil’s independent judiciary and digital platform regulations, stating that disinformation and calls for violence have no place in democratic discourse. “Freedom of expression is not the same as inciting violence,” he said.

This isn’t about trade. It’s political payback. Trump is using U.S. economic power to try to shield Jair Bolsonaro, a fellow authoritarian, from legal consequences in Brazil. The result could be a full-blown trade war affecting everything from steel to coffee. Brazil is preparing appeals to the World Trade Organization and weighing broader diplomatic retaliation. Trump is weaponizing U.S. trade policy to defend a disgraced former president. Brazil removed a  dictator and Trump wants them to pay for it.