On Thursday, July 16th, 2026, Brazil condemned the United States' decision to impose 25% tariffs on certain Brazilian products. The tariffs follow an investigation by the Trump administration into what it described as unfair trade practices by Brazil. The Brazilian government, through the office of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, denied engaging in any unfair trade practices and repudiated the U.S. decision in a statement posted on X.

The U.S. trade office cited its investigation as the basis for the tariffs. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio criticized Lula’s policies, calling them “bad for Americans and bad for Brazilians.”

The dispute highlights ongoing trade tensions between the South American country and the United States.

Sources