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In a move that stunned global markets and rattled diplomatic corridors, former President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that all Brazilian goods entering the United States will face a 50% tariff starting August 1. The decision, issued via a formal letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and posted on Trump's Truth Social platform, represents a dramatic escalation in what critics are calling a politicized trade offensive.

Trump attributed the tariff spike in part to what he called a “witch hunt” trial against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a close Trump ally now facing charges for allegedly attempting to overturn Brazil’s 2022 election. Bolsonaro, like Trump, has publicly challenged the legitimacy of his electoral defeat.

"This trial should not be taking place," Trump wrote. "It is a witch hunt that should end immediately!"

Trade Warfare by the Letter

Trump's letter to Lula claimed that the 50% tariff was a response to both the Bolsonaro proceedings and what he described as a "very unfair trade relationship" between the U.S. and Brazil. The measure, he added, is "far less than what is needed to have the level playing field we must have with your country."

He warned that if Brazil retaliates with tariffs on U.S. goods, the U.S. would respond by adding an equal rate to the existing 50% levy, further tightening the economic vise.

The letter wasn’t a one-off. Trump’s administration has reportedly dispatched similar warnings to over 100 countries, including South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and South Africa, demanding tariff and non-tariff adjustments—or face stiff penalties. Countries aligned with the BRICS alliance were singled out for especially harsh treatment, with Trump warning of an additional 10% surcharge for nations pursuing what he called "anti-American policies."