If anyone understands the political and social consequences of being at the center of a trumped-up witch hunt, it would be Trump himself.
And as Brazil seeks to make life a living hell for their former right-wing president, Donald Trump has threatened to step in.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Brazil with a crippling tariff of 50% starting August 1, according to a letter he sent to the country's president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
In the letter posted on Truth Social, Trump alleged Lula is undertaking a 'Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!' over charges against its right-wing former president, Jair Bolsonaro.
Trump's friendship with Bolsonaro has led him to still be willing to stick his neck out, even years later.
However, Lula da Silva, the current president of Brazil, was not about to roll over. As it goes with tariff wars, Lula da Silva threatened to reciprocate the tariff with the United States in retaliation.
'Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage,' Lula said in a post on X.
'Any measure to increase tariffs unilaterally will be responded to in light of Brazil's Law of Economic Reciprocity,' he added.
We'll see how long Lula can hold out. Brazil is one of the few nations that Trump has tariffed where the United States actually has a trade surplus. Meaning they rely on us more than we rely on them.
Top US exports to the South American country last year included aircraft and spacecraft, fuels, industrial machinery like nuclear reactors, and electrical equipment, according to US Census Bureau data. So a 50% Brazilian tariff on American goods could severely harm these industries.
Which way, Brazil?
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