That's a Tariff: Trump Threatens Brazil with 50% Tariff

 

BY C STONE | STONE NEWS NETWORKS || POLITICS ||| WASHINGTON, D.C.

Source:BBC

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he was planning a 50% tariff on goods made in Brazil. 

In a post on Truth Social's social media, Trump accused Brazil of attacks on U.S. technology companies conducting a "witch hunt" against former far-right president Jari Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is facing corruption charges over his role to overturn the 2022 election.

President Trump has fought with President Lula before. Lula said "Brazil would not accept interference from anyone and that no one is above the law."

He called Trump's post on social media 'irresponsible'.

via the BBC:

Unlike many other countries, the US enjoyed a trade surplus with Brazil last year, selling more goods in the country than it purchased from it.

In the letter, Trump called the 50% rate "necessary ... to rectify the grave injustices of the current regime".

He said he would order the US Trade Representative to launch a so-called 301 investigation into Brazil's digital trade practices.

Such a move would mark a turn to more established legal process that US has used to impose tariffs in the past, toughening the threat. In his first term, Trump took a similar step over the country's consideration of a tax targeting tech firms.

Trump, in the letter, accused the Brazilian government of "insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans" including the censorship of "US Social Media platforms".

Read more of this juicy article over at the bbc.