Trump Writes to Bolsonaro, Says He’s Watching Brazil ‘Closely’

Donald Trump delivered another warning to Brazil to drop charges against former leader Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged coup attempt, saying he would be “watching closely” for a response a week after the US president threatened punishing tariffs on the country.

Trump on Thursday posted on social media a letter addressed to Bolsonaro, casting the right-wing populist leader as the victim of “terrible treatment” and demanding again that his “trial should end immediately!”

Trump said he was “very concerned about the attacks on free speech — both in Brazil and in the United States — coming out of the current government.”

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“I have strongly voiced my disapproval both publicly and through our Tariff policy,” Trump wrote. “It is my sincere hope that the government of Brazil changes course, stops attacking political opponents, and ends their ridiculous censorship regime. I will be watching closely.”

Trump last week threatened to hit Brazil with a 50% tariff starting on Aug. 1, citing its treatment of Bolsonaro, the country’s former president. The threat came amid a stream of tariff demand letters the US president has been sending other economies setting new import taxes for next month after a three-month negotiating period. 

Yet Brazil’s case has been unique, with Trump citing political circumstances for the levy. Brazil was not one of the countries targeted by the higher so-called reciprocal tariffs in April and it runs a deficit in trade with the US, while almost all of Trump’s other tariff targets post large surpluses. 

On Tuesday, the Office of the US Trade Representative opened an investigation, at Trump’s direction, into Brazil’s trade practices and whether the country is unfairly restricting US exports.

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