Left: U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on July 4, 2025. Right: Brazil President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva in Rio de Janeiro on April 2, 2024. Credit – Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images; Buda Mendes—Getty Images
Donald Trump has often likened efforts to hold him accountable by the media, Democrats, investigators, courts, and others, to a “witch hunt.” But recently he’s begun also using the phrase to defend his foreign buddies.
From Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose corruption trial Trump has urged the end of, to most recently former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose affinity for and similarities to the U.S. President have earned him the nickname “Trump of the Tropics,” Trump has tried to wield the influence of the U.S. government to keep his friends from facing charges in their own countries.
While Trump has begun issuing “letters” on social media to foreign leaders announcing new tariff rates, he deviated from the script used for other nations so far when he posted a letter to current Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Truth Social on Wednesday.
“I knew and dealt with former President Jair Bolsonaro, and respected him greatly, as did most other Leaders of Countries,” Trump wrote. “The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace. This Trial should not be taking place. It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!”
Bolsonaro is currently facing charges related to an alleged coup attempt after he lost Brazil’s 2022 election to Lula, which even involved a storming of the Brazilian capital that drew comparisons at the time to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in the U.S. by Trump supporters after Trump lost his first reelection campaign.
Trump had already posted earlier this month: “Brazil is doing a terrible thing on their treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro. I have watched, as has the World, as they have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year! He is not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE. I have gotten to know Jair Bolsonaro, and he was a strong Leader, who truly loved his Country — Also, a very tough negotiator on TRADE. His Election was very close and now, he is leading in the Polls. This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a Political Opponent — Something I know much about! It happened to me, times 10, and now our Country is the ‘HOTTEST’ in the World! The Great People of Brazil will not stand for what they are doing to their former President. I’ll be watching the WITCH HUNT of Jair Bolsonaro, his family, and thousands of his supporters, very closely. The only Trial that should be happening is a Trial by the Voters of Brazil — It’s called an Election. LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!”
In his letter Wednesday to Lula, Trump also referenced “insidious attacks on Free Elections” (Brazil’s next general election is in 2026, and Bolsonaro has been deemed ineligible) as well as “Censorship” by Brazil’s Supreme Court against U.S. social media companies (the country at one point banned Elon Musk’s X platform before restoring it after a $5 million fine).
Trump announced that the tariff rate on Brazil, which was initially set at 10% in April, would be raised to 50% as a result of these issues, as well as to “rectify the grave injustices of the current regime” and make the U.S.-Brazil trade relationship more “Reciprocal,” despite the U.S. in fact running a trade surplus with Brazil.
Trump also announced on Sunday a 10% additional tariff on countries that align themselves with the “anti-American” policies of the BRICS group, of which Brazil is a founding member.
In a post on X, Lula forcefully rebuked Trump’s message, writing: “Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage.”
The Brazilian leader asserted that Brazil’s judicial proceedings “are not subject to any interference or threats that could compromise the independence of national institutions,” that “freedom of expression must not be confused with aggression or violent practices” and all companies “whether domestic or foreign—must comply with Brazilian law in order to operate within our territory,” and that “tariff increases will be addressed in accordance with Brazil’s Economic Reciprocity Law,” which states that Brazil can suspend concessions with other countries in trade, investments, and obligations if unilateral measures imposed on Brazil harm its economic competitiveness.
According to CNN: “This marks the first time in months another country has threatened to match Trump’s tariff threat.”
“Sovereignty, respect and the unwavering defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world,” Lula concluded.
Lula’s post—which comes just a few days after he said at the BRICS forum on Monday, “The world has changed. We don’t want an emperor. … People need to understand that respect is good—we like to give it, and we like to get it in return”—sets the stage for further confrontation with Trump, who has rarely been challenged in such stark terms by a foreign leader of an ostensibly friendly nation.
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