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United States President Donald Trump sent an official letter to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) on Wednesday (9), informing the imposition of a 50% tariff on all Brazilian exports to the US market. The measure will come into force on August 1, 2025.
Former United States President Donald Trump sent an official letter to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) / Photo: Reproduction
In the document, Trump claims that the decision was motivated, among other factors, for attacks on the freedom of expression and the actions of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) of Brazil, which, according to him, issued censorship orders against US social networking platforms. The Republican also harshly criticized the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who called “international shame,” classifying the process as a “witch hunt.”
This is an imposition of a 50% rate on all Brazilian exports to the US market / Photo: Reproduction
The rate will be applied widely, regardless of existing sectoral rates, and directly impacts sectors such as steel and aluminum, important for the Brazilian trade balance. The letter is still threatening to retaliate Brazil with additional tariffs if the country decides to respond with similar measures, and opens the possibility of review if Brazil chooses to open its market more to American companies.
Trump states that these rates are “necessary to correct many years of commercial imbalance” and also orders the opening of an investigation in Section 301 on Brazil, an instrument used by the US to investigate disloyal business practices.
Check out the letter in full
July 9, 2025
Your Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
President of the Federative Republic of Brazil
Brasilia
Dear Mr. President:
I met and treated former President Jair Bolsonaro, and respected him a lot, as well as most other countries in countries. The way Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a highly respected leader around the world during his term, including the United States, is an international shame. This judgment should not be occurring. It is a witch hunt that should end immediately!
Partly due to Brazil’s insidious attacks against free elections and the fundamental violation of Americans’ freedom of expression (as recently demonstrated by the Brazilian Supreme Court of Brazil, which issued hundreds of secret and illegal censorship orders to US social media platforms, threatening them with fines of millions of dollars and expulsion from the Brazilian social media market), from August 1, 2025, we will charge Brazil from Brazil. 50% tariff over all Brazilian exports sent to the United States, separated from all existing sectoral tariffs. Overflowed goods to try to avoid this 50% fare will be subject to this highest rate.
In addition, we had years to discuss our business relationship with Brazil and concluded that we need to get away from the long and very unfair commercial relationship generated by tariff and non -tariff barriers in Brazil. Our relationship, unfortunately, has been far from reciprocal.
Please understand that the 50% are much less than it would be necessary to have equal terms in our trade with your country. And it is necessary to have this to correct the serious injustices of the current system. As you know, there will be no fare if Brazil, or companies within your country, decide to build or manufacture products within the United States and, in fact, we will do everything possible to quickly and routinely approve – in other words, in a matter of weeks.
If for any reason you decide to increase your rates, whatever the value chosen, it will be added to the 50% we will charge. Please understand that these tariffs are necessary to correct the many years of tariff and non -tariff barriers in Brazil, which caused these unsustainable commercial deficits against the United States. This deficit is a great threat to our economy and, in fact, our national security!
In addition, due to the continuous attacks of Brazil to digital business activities of American companies, as well as other unfair business practices, I am instructing the United States Commerce Representative, Jamieson Greer, to immediately start an investigation in Section 301 on Brazil.
If you want to open your commercial markets, so far closed, to the United States and eliminate their fares, non -tariff policies and commercial barriers, we may, perhaps, consider an adjustment in this letter. These rates can be modified, up or down, depending on the relationship with your country. You will never be disappointed with the United States of America.
Thank you so much for your attention to this subject!
With the best votes, I am,
Yours sincerely,
DONALD J. TRUMP
President of the United States of America
