Why is Trump targeting Brazil

A message from US President Donald Trump fell on Wednesday like a hand grenade in Brazil, which raised the relationship between the two countries to the lowest level ever.

Trump pledged to impose a tariff on Brazil at a rate of up to 50 %. The country was accused of “attacks” on American technology companies and a “charming chase” against former right -wing President Gere Bolsonaro, a long -term ally facing judicial prosecution over his alleged role in a plot to cancel the Brazilian elections 2022.

The move comes after a new round of the political debate between Trump and the current Brazilian President, Luiz Inosio Lula da Silva. A relationship was also tense that was already tense.

Trump had earlier threatened the members of the Brazil group – which Brazil constitutes part of it – with a tariff, accusing the American anti -anti -anti -anti -American countries.

The bloc includes India, Russia and China and slept to Iran. It is designed to balance the influence in the world.

Lula answered the threat of Trump’s tariff in a post on X, and wrote that “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of guardianship.”

Trump has launched a wide range of definitions – or import taxes – since he returned to the office in January. He argues that this will increase our manufacture and protection, although he also used it to follow the political goals.

This seems true in the case of Brazil as well.

Its government said that it would not be recovered – perhaps the definitions of American products. But it is not clear how this will happen, or whether Brazil has economic influence to face the consequences of escalation.

Meanwhile, many Brazilians ask why Trump targeted their country and how this new epic can play.

Brazil is one of the relatively few countries that buy from the United States more than it sells – a preparation that theoretically suitable for Trump’s commercial agenda.

Looking at this defect, many Brazilian analysts and politicians have seen a public gesture to support Gear Bolsonaro, the former president.

This was emphasized by Trump’s message, which strongly criticized the Brazilian government and the ongoing trial of Bolsonaro in the Supreme Court, which focuses on an alleged coup attempt two years ago.

It was already expected a kind of help for Polsonaro from Trump by Brazilian politicians – but not on this range.

On January 8, 2023, hundreds of Polisonaro supporters stormed the Brazilian Conference, the Supreme Court, and the Presidential Palace – in a clear attempt to cancel the elections he won without a few months ago.

Bolsonaro denies any connection with this event, which many watched as a Brazilian version of attacks on the American Capitol building by Trump supporters two years ago. Trump was also investigated in the wake of riots in the United States – and those who tried to sue him.

Polsonaro supporters have requested a kind of Trump’s support for several months. His son Eduardo took a vacation from Brazil’s Congress, where he works as an actor, and moved to the United States. His goal was to mobilize his father’s support from the Trump’s inner circle and the wider Maga movement (making America great again).

In another intervention that was seen as a supporter of Polisonaro, Trump also accused the Brazilian government of “treacherous attacks on free elections and the basic rights of the Americans”, including the control of “American social media platforms.”

As part of the continuous investigation of the spread of misinformation in the country, the Supreme Court in Brazil has ordered, in recent years, to ban many social media accounts – many of whom belong to Bolsonaro supporters.

Brazil’s powers and companies are scrambling to calculate the economic impact of potential definitions, but political consequences can also be huge.

Trump’s words indicate that Bolsonaro has a political proximity with the American president, who can dream about a few Brazilian politicians or Latin America.

This will be seen as strong support for Polsonaro, who wants to run for the presidency again – although he was prevented from doing this until 2030.

Polsonaro supporters made the political capital for definitions, indicating that the blame lies strongly with the current president.

“I had it not been for ideology before the economy, and this is the result. The responsibility lies with those in power. The novels will not solve the problem,” said a powerful ally.

Despite the clear positive consequences of Bolsonaro, some analysts and politicians say that Trump’s gesture can have opposite results.

The United States is the second most important commercial partner in Brazil, only behind China.

Some sectors that can be affected by more than a new round of American definitions are those that are closely consistent with the Polsonaro political base – especially agricultural works. There are increasing concerns about the potential effect of Brazilian exports of oranges, coffee and beef for the United States.

Instead of playing in the hands of Bolsonaro, Trump’s introductory threat can be a lifeline for Lula, who was struggling with lower rates of popularity and difficulties in dealing with Congress.

An opinion poll suggested in May that 55 % of the Brazilians did not reject Trump. It is unlikely to convert a new wave of definitions.

Immediately after Trump’s announcement, Lula and other members of the Brazilian left by playing a national melody – talking about sovereignty and trying to blame Bolsonaro for the potential economic consequences of definitions.

Even among central politicians, Trump’s reactions were largely negative.

Alessandro Vieira, the middle Senator who usually has a critical position against Lula, wrote.

Some analysts argue that this could generate a major impact on the reconciliation of Lula on Brazil’s political disputes.

“Even my critics had it not been for them to see Trump’s move as an attack on national sovereignty and the independence of the judiciary,” said Oliver Stinkel, a professor at the Getúlio Vargas (FGV) and Carnegie’s researcher for international thinking in Washington.

In October 2026, the Brazilian presidential elections are still far from each other, but some analysts are already dragging comparisons with Canada, as a right -wing candidate lost this year in front of the middle discount that made a public campaign against Trump.

Bolsonaro cannot run for the presidency for his conviction by the Supreme Court, and the allies are already ignoring any candidate will represent the Brazilian right to the polls.

On social media – where a lot of political debate occurs – the memes are shared by Polsonaro’s allies by thousands, often with words of criticism. One of these offers is the potential candidate Tarsio wearing the Trump Maga hat.

With his threat of definitions, Trump caused a possible storm not only in the Brazilian economy – but also its political future.