Trump Accuses Brazilian Authorities of 'Witch Hunt' Against Former Leader Bolsonaro
The former president has repeatedly denied the allegations and said he is the target of political persecution. In his first such comment since Bolsonaro's trial began, Trump said in a social media post that Brazil is doing a 'terrible thing' in their treatment of his ally. He added that Bolsonaro is 'not guilty of anything,' except for having 'fought for the people,' and compared the Brazilian's situation to his own. 'This happened to me times 10,' the US president said. 'I will be closely monitoring the witch hunt of Jair Bolsonaro, his family, and thousands of his supporters. Leave Bolsonaro alone!'
Bolsonaro responded by saying on social media that Trump's 'fight for peace, justice and liberty echoes worldwide,' and he thanked the US leader for 'giving us a role model for faith and resilience.' Bolsonaro has been declared ineligible to run for office until 2030 by Brazil's electoral court for abuse of power during the 2022 election, when he narrowly lost to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Lula said in a statement that did not mention Trump that the defense of democracy in Brazil is a topic for Brazilians. 'We are a sovereign nation.' Brazil's president added: 'We have solid and independent institutions. No one is above the law. Even more so those who attack freedom and the rule of law.' Later, speaking on the sidelines of a summit of BRICS emerging economies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's president said he had more important things to comment on than Trump's post on Bolsonaro. 'Go take care of your own life, not ours,' Lula said.
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Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Saudi Gazette
Trump threatens 50% tariffs on Brazil if it doesn't stop the Bolsonaro ‘witch hunt' trial
NEW YORK — USPresident 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. Bolsonaro, who has bragged about his closeness with Trump, is facing trial for allegedly attempting to stage a coup against Lula. Lula vowed to reciprocate if Trump follows through with his threat. '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 marks the first time in months another country has threatened to match Trump's tariff the 21 other countries that have received letters from Trump this week, Brazil was not set to face 'reciprocal' tariffs in April. Goods from there have instead been tariffed at a minimum of 10%, which is the rate Trump has been taxing most goods from countries that were set to face 'reciprocal' unlike the other 21 countries, the US ran a $6.8 billion trade surplus with Brazil last year, meaning the US exported more goods to there than it imported from there. That means Brazil's 50% tariff on American goods could severely harm domestic businesses that rely on exporting goods is not the first time Trump has used the threat of tariffs to try to change other countries' domestic policy this year, he threatened 25% tariffs on Colombian exports that would grow to 50% if the country didn't accept deportees from the US. (Colombia ultimately accepted the deportees and avoided those tariffs.) Trump also imposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China over the role he alleges they play in facilitating illegal migration to the US and enabling fentanyl to reach the despite Trump's discontent with the Bolsonaro trial, he wrote that 'there will be no Tariff if Brazil, or companies within your Country, decide to build or manufacture product within the United States.' Trump's made nearly identical offers in a slew of other letters he sent to heads of state this recipients of tariff letters on Wednesday included the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Moldova, Brunei, Algeria, Libya and Iraq, with rates going as high as 30% on goods they ship to the United States. The new tariffs go into effect August 1, pending rates Trump said would be imposed on goods from Sri Lanka, Moldova, Iraq and Libya were lower than those he announced in early April. The rates on goods from the Philippines and Brunei were higher, compared to April levels. Meanwhile, the rate on goods from Algeria was the same (30%) as April US and various trading partners have been negotiating new trade agreements since Trump announced so-called 'reciprocal' tariffs back in April. Yet few deals have come to a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump said 'a letter means a deal.' But that doesn't appear to be how some countries are perceiving the all the letters except the one sent to Brazil's Lula, Trump wrote that he takes particular issue with the trade deficits the United States runs with other nations, meaning America buys more goods from there compared to how much American businesses export to those countries. Trump also said the tariffs would be set in response to other policies that he deems are impeding American goods from being sold has encouraged world leaders to manufacture goods in the United States to avoid tariffs. If they chose to retaliate by slapping higher tariffs on American goods, Trump threatened to tack that onto the rate charged on their country's goods shipped to the United has now sent 22 letters on tariff rates to heads of state this week, and more could still economists said in a note to clients on Wednesday titled 'Another day, another step closer to Liberation Day' that the 50% tariff threat on Brazilian goods was 'most surprising.' ('Liberation Day' refers to April 2, the day Trump held a Rose Garden event to announce 'reciprocal' tariff rates.)'It is possible these tariffs will never be implemented, as some in the market are hoping for,' the economists said, referring to Trump's latest at 12:01 a.m. ET was the initial deadline Trump set three months ago for countries to ink trade deals with the US or instantly face higher tariff rates. However, on Monday he extended that deadline to August often dubbed the 'Trump of the Tropics,' is on trial in Brazil for charges related to an alleged plot to overturn the 2022 election results. He and dozens of associates have been charged with attempting a coup d'état, which prosecutors allege involved a plan to potentially assassinate elected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has denied late Wednesday also announced a 50% tariff on copper imports, as he had promised on Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting. The tariff announcement comes after Trump on February 25 signed an executive action requiring the Commerce Department to assess whether America's copper imports posed a national security risk.'I am announcing a 50% TARIFF on Copper, effective August 1, 2025, after receiving a robust NATIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT,' Trump said on Truth Social Wednesday. 'Copper is the second most used material by the Department of Defense! Why did our foolish (and SLEEPY!) 'Leaders' decimate this important Industry? This 50% TARIFF will reverse the Biden Administration's thoughtless behavior, and stupidity.'America imports about half of the copper it uses, according to the London Stock Exchange, and most of it comes from China, Chile, Japan and Congo. Copper is a key ingredient in electrical wiring necessary semiconductors and a host of other key goods, including batteries and defense equipment.'America will, once again, build a DOMINANT Copper Industry,' Trump said. 'THIS IS, AFTER ALL, OUR GOLDEN AGE!'Copper have prices surged over the past day after Trump on Tuesday said tariffs on copper imports were imminent. Copper futures jumped 13.1% on Tuesday to settle at a record high $5.69 per pound. It was the biggest single-day increase on record going back to 1968. They fell a bit Wednesday but were up nearly 3% in late trading.'I've been surprised it's taken this long to get the copper tariff,' said Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James. 'There are three buckets of tariffs: new revenue, national security, forced policy change. National security is the copper piece.'But some analysts were skeptical that tariffs could quickly boost America's copper mining industry and reduce its reliance on foreign countries for the key metal.'The US remains structurally short on copper, importing over 50% of its needs—primarily from South America—with no clear path to improving that for years to come,' said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. 'A tariff-induced price premium risks making copper—and by extension, US manufacturing and infrastructure—materially more expensive.'Hansen called the 50% increase on copper tariffs 'a massive tax on consumers of copper.' — CNN
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump sets 50 percent US tariffs on copper, Brazilian imports starting in August
US President Donald Trump launched his global tariff assault into overdrive on Wednesday, announcing a new 50 percent tariff on US copper imports and a 50 percent duty on goods from Brazil, both to start on August 1. 'I am announcing a 50 percent TARIFF on Copper, effective August 1, 2025, after receiving a robust NATIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT,' Trump said in a post on his Truth Social media platform, referring to a 'Section 232' national security trade investigation into the red metal that has been underway. The announcement came hours after he also informed Brazil that its 'reciprocal' tariff on August 1 would rise to 50 percent from 10 percent — a shockingly high level for a country with a balanced US trade relationship. Trump first broached the copper tariff during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, setting off a scramble by companies to import as much copper as possible from Chile and other major suppliers. He blamed the decline of the US copper industry on past administrations, saying copper was needed for semiconductors, aircraft, electric vehicle batteries, and military hardware. 'America will, once again, build a DOMINANT Copper Industry,' Trump wrote. Trump's Brazil tariff order came in a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that vented anger over what he called the 'Witch Hunt' trial of Lula's right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, adding to an increasingly bitter public feud with Lula. Trump also criticized what he said were Brazil's attacks on free elections, Americans' free speech, and 'SECRET and UNLAWFUL Censorship Orders to US Social Media platforms.' He ordered the US Trade Representative's office to launch a new 'Section 301' unfair trade practices investigation that could add even more tariffs, citing 'Brazil's continued attacks on the Digital Trade Activities of American companies.' Lula responded to Trump's letter by issuing a statement saying that any unilateral measure to increase tariffs would be met with a response in accordance with Brazilian law. Brad Setser, a former US trade official now with the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump's action could easily spiral into a damaging trade war between the two democracies. 'This shows the danger of having tariffs that are under the unilateral control of one man,' Setser said. 'It's tied to the fact that Lula beat Trump's friend Bolsonaro in the election.' Brazil is the 15th largest US trading partner, with total two-way trade of $92 billion in 2024, and a rare $7.4 billion US trade surplus, according to US Census Bureau data. Top US exports to Brazil are commercial aircraft, petroleum products and crude oil, coal, and semiconductors, while Brazil's top exports to the US are crude oil, coffee, semi-finished steel, and pig iron. The South American country has held off on implementing a digital services tax but has sought to advance legislation with stronger competition regulations on digital platforms. Trump earlier on his Truth Social media platform issued August 1 tariff notices to seven minor trading partners that exported only $15 billion in goods to the US last year: a 20 percent tariff on goods from the Philippines, 30 percent on goods from Sri Lanka, Algeria, Iraq, and Libya, and 25 percent on Brunei and Moldova. The latest letters add to 14 others issued earlier in the week, including 25 percent tariffs for powerhouse US suppliers South Korea and Japan, which are also to take effect August 1 barring any trade deals reached before then. They were issued a day after Trump said he was broadening his trade war by imposing a 50 percent tariff on imported copper and would soon introduce long-threatened levies on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Trump's rapid-fire tariff moves have cast a shadow over the global economic outlook, paralyzing business decision-making. As more tariff drama unfolded in Washington, US and European Union negotiators pushed closer to a trade deal to ease Trump's tariffs on the biggest bilateral US trading partner bloc. Trump said he would 'probably' tell the EU within two days what rate it could expect for its exports to the US, adding that the 27-nation bloc had become much more cooperative. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said good progress had been made on a framework trade agreement and a deal may even be possible within days. Sefcovic told EU lawmakers he hoped that EU negotiators could finalize their work soon, with additional time now from the extension of a US deadline to August 1 from July 9. 'I hope to reach a satisfactory conclusion, potentially even in the coming days,' Sefcovic said. However, Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti had earlier warned that talks between the two sides were 'very complicated' and could continue right up to the deadline. EU officials and auto industry sources said that US and EU negotiators were discussing a range of potential measures aimed at protecting the European Union's auto industry, including tariff cuts, import quotas, and credits against the value of EU automakers' US exports. Equity markets shrugged off the Republican president's latest tariff salvo on Wednesday, while the yen remained on the back foot after the levies imposed on Japan. Following Trump's announcement of higher tariffs for imports from the 14 countries, US research group Yale Budget Lab estimated consumers face an effective US tariff rate of 17.6 percent, up from 15.8 percent previously and the highest in nine decades. Trump's administration has been touting those tariffs as a significant revenue source. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington has taken in about $100 billion so far and could collect $300 billion by the end of the year. The United States has taken in about $80 billion annually in tariff revenue in recent years. The Trump administration promised '90 deals in 90 days' after he unveiled an array of country-specific duties in early April. So far, only two agreements have been reached, with Britain and Vietnam. Trump has said a deal with India was close.
Al Arabiya
6 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
A Surprise irs move on political endorsements leaves faith leaders and experts divided
A surprise move by the IRS that would allow pastors to back political candidates from the pulpit without losing their organizations' tax-exempt status is drawing praise from conservatives and even some progressive religious groups but concern from other leaders of faith along with tax and legal experts. A 1954 provision in the tax code called the Johnson Amendment says churches and other nonprofits could lose their tax-exempt status if they participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. The rule was rarely enforced. While the IRS did not go as far as calling for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, it said in court documents Monday that communications in good faith by a church to its flock does not amount to intervening or affecting the outcome of a political campaign. Communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted, the IRS said. The new IRS interpretation came after decades of debate and most recently lawsuits from the National Religious Broadcasters association and other conservative churches complaining that the amendment violates their First Amendment rights, among other legal protections. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, President Donald Trump called the IRS assessment 'terrific.' 'I love the fact that churches can endorse a political candidate,' he said. 'We have a lot of respect for the people that lead the church.' While some congregations see a new freedom to speak openly about preferred candidates, others see openings for campaign finance corruption, new pressures on religious leaders, and an overall entanglement between church and state. Praises to the IRS Robert Jeffress, pastor of a Baptist megachurch in Dallas and a Trump ally, called it 'the right decision.' He said his church's tax-exempt status was threatened because of an IRS investigation into their political endorsements, costing the megachurch hundreds of thousands in legal fees. 'The IRS has no business dictating what can be said from the pulpit,' he said. 'They need to stay the heck out of our churches.' Calvary Church Chino Hills, a Southern California megachurch led by Jack Hibbs, has been endorsing candidates for years, particularly in local elections. Gina Gleason, director of the church's political engagement team, said she hopes the move will encourage smaller churches previously hesitant for fear of triggering an IRS response. 'I'd have thought if the IRS had targeted any church it would've been us,' she said. 'But we got sound legal advice from lawyers and religious liberty organizations that explained we were within our constitutional rights.' For Democrats trying to connect with people of faith, this decision is timely, said Doug Pagitt, pastor and executive director of Vote Common Good, a progressive and evangelical Christian organization. Conservative pastors who have been blatantly endorsing candidates regardless of the Johnson Amendment over the years created a disadvantage, causing Democrats to step away from faith voters, he said. 'There was a true imbalance between how many more opportunities there were for Republican voters.' The IRS statement, Pagitt says, also puts an end to the delicate dance pastors and congregations were forced to do. 'You could talk about politics in the church gymnasium but not in the sanctuary or from the pulpit,' he said. 'Pastors could express political opinions on their personal Facebook page but not on the church's website. It's just silly.' Church politicking concerns Tax and constitutional law experts, meanwhile, are wary of what entanglements could arise from the IRS's new position. Philip Hackney, a University of Pittsburgh School of Law professor who studies the relationship between churches and tax authority, said the decree could allow churches to push new boundaries. 'It's essentially creating a political intervention tax shelter for churches,' Hackney said. 'It has the potential to corrupt their mission more toward politics and away from their true beliefs.' Other religious groups, particularly in faith communities of color, are viewing it with skepticism. The Rev. Mark Whitlock, senior pastor at Reid Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Glenn Dale, Maryland, said it raises more questions than answers. 'From those of us in the Black church, this decision is being viewed with caution, apprehension, and skepticism,' he said. 'The question we're asking is: Why now?' Whitlock said he will continue to do what the Black church has always done–educating and civically engaging parishioners. His congregants' political views vary, too. 'If I do say something in church, it needs to be God-centered, God-focused, and a revelation that God gave you,' Whitlock said. 'You can't go to the pulpit as a campaign manager.' Raymond Chang, president of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, warned that a repeal of the Johnson Amendment could help tether some congregations to certain parties or candidates. 'This can lead to a partisan identity becoming the primary marker of a church or congregation over a commitment to the Gospel, which cuts against both existing major parties,' he said. Church leaders may also face pressure to make political endorsements. What comes next Nearly 80 percent of US adults believe churches and other houses of worship should not come out in favor of one political candidate over another during elections, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2022 found. White evangelicals and Black Protestants were a little more divided on the matter, with about one-third in each group favoring political endorsements. But in every other religious group surveyed, there was a strong consensus against political involvement by houses of worship. Others are more optimistic that the IRS statement puts to bed unfounded criticisms against the agency for a rarely enforced rule. Terry Lemons, a former IRS official who began at the agency under Democratic President Bill Clinton, called it a 'common sense' approach through a narrowly written filing. Roger Colinvaux, a Catholic University of America law professor, said he would caution churches against overinterpreting the IRS statement. He points out that the word 'endorse' does not appear anywhere in it and said his biggest concern is religion being used as a partisan tool in campaigns. Pagitt at Common Good said not all pastors will seize the opportunity because they might be ministering to a divided congregation or might not be comfortable mixing politics and religion. Chieko Noguchi, spokesperson for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Tuesday that the IRS statement doesn't change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate. 'The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good,' Noguchi said. 'The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.'
