The Trump administration proposed 25% tariffs on imports from Brazil on Monday, charging that the world’s 10th-biggest economy engages in trade practices that are “unreasonable” and “burden or restrict US commerce.” The announcement came despite the US maintaining a goods trade surplus with Brazil for years.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced the punitive tariffs following a Section 301 investigation that began in July 2025. The 107-page Commerce Department report cited issues including illegal deforestation, ethanol market access, digital trade barriers, and lax anti-corruption enforcement.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva responded with sharp criticism, targeting Secretary of State Marco Rubio specifically.
“I spoke to President Trump for three hours, and that Marco Rubio guy, the head of the state department, he is anti-Latin American. He is a deadly enemy of Cuba, a deadly enemy of many Latin American countries. I already told Trump that he does not like Brazil.”
President Lula da Silva, June 2, 2026
Lula also blamed the tariff decision on his domestic political rival, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who visited Washington last week. Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, once called “the Trump of the Tropics” by supporters. Brazil’s government said the US-Brazil dialogue was being “sabotaged by merely electoral and family matters” of the Bolsonaros.
The proposed tariffs would be imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which gives the US broad authority to impose sanctions for alleged trade violations. Brazil’s government stated it would “adopt every measure capable of reducing the damage” to its economy and threatened retaliation.
The timing appears linked to Brazil’s upcoming October elections, where Lula faces challenges from Bolsonaro allies who maintain closer ties to Trump administration officials.
What you can do now
-
Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to oppose the Brazil tariffs since the US already has a trade surplus. Ask them to demand economic justification for tariffs that could raise consumer prices.
-
Contact the US Trade Representative at (202) 395-3230 and urge them to reconsider the Brazil tariff proposal. Reference the existing US trade surplus and ask how tariffs serve American economic interests.
-
Email the Senate Finance Committee which oversees trade policy. Find member contact info at finance.senate.gov and demand hearings on the economic impact of the proposed Brazil tariffs before implementation.
-
Contact your representative on the House Ways and Means Committee if they serve on it. The committee has jurisdiction over tariff policy and should examine whether these tariffs serve US economic interests given the existing trade surplus.
Primary Sources
The Guardian: Trump Administration Proposes 25% Tariffs on Brazil Despite Trade Surplus
Al Jazeera: US Targets Brazil with New Tariffs Over Trade Practices