Kaine & Shaheen Lead Colleagues in Urging Trump to End Threats of Tariffs on Brazil
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led their colleagues in sending a letter to President Donald Trump expressing serious concerns regarding his threats to start a trade war with Brazil—which would raise costs for American families—unless Brazil’s Supreme Court ends the prosecution of longtime Trump friend and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is facing criminal charges for attempting to lead a violent, January 6-style coup.
Americans import more than $40 billion annually from Brazil, including nearly $2 billion worth of coffee. Trade between the U.S. and Brazil supports nearly 130,000 jobs in the United States. A trade war with Brazil would make life more expensive for Americans, harm both the American and Brazilian economies, and drive Brazil closer to China—and all because the President of the United States wants to corrupt a foreign judicial proceeding to help his personal friend.
“We write to express significant concerns about the clear abuse of power inherent in your recent threat to launch a trade war with Brazil. The United States and Brazil have legitimate trade issues that should be discussed and negotiated. However, your Administration’s tariff threat is clearly not directed at that,” wrote the senators.
“Interfering in another sovereign nation’s legal system sets a dangerous precedent, provokes an unnecessary trade war and puts American nationals and companies at risk of retribution,” the senators continued. “Using the full weight of the American economy to interfere with these proceedings on behalf of a friend is a gross misuse of power, undermines America’s influence in Brazil and could derail our broader interests in the region.”
“Your actions would increase costs for American families and businesses,” the senators wrote. “Brazil has also vowed to retaliate, and you have preemptively vowed to retaliate in kind – meaning that U.S. exporters will suffer and taxes on imports for Americans will rise beyond your threatened 50 percent level.”
The senators concluded, “The overriding goals of the U.S. in Latin America must be enhancing mutually beneficial economic relationships, promoting free and fair democratic elections and countering PRC influence. We urge you to reconsider your actions and prioritize the economic interests of Americans who want predictability not another trade war.”
In addition to Kaine and Shaheen, the letter is cosigned by Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear President Trump:
We write to express significant concerns about the clear abuse of power inherent in your recent threat to launch a trade war with Brazil. The United States and Brazil have legitimate trade issues that should be discussed and negotiated. However, your Administration’s tariff threat is clearly not directed at that. Nor is it about a bilateral trade deficit, as the U.S. ran a $7.4 billion goods trade surplus with Brazil in 2024, and has not run a trade deficit with Brazil since 2007.
Rather – as you state explicitly in your letter to Brazilian President Lula da Silva – the threat to impose 50 percent tariffs on all imports from Brazil and ordering the U.S. Trade Representative to launch an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 are primarily intended to force Brazil’s independent judicial system to stop the prosecution of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro. Interfering in another sovereign nation’s legal system sets a dangerous precedent, provokes an unnecessary trade war and puts American nationals and companies at risk of retribution.
Mr. Bolsonaro is a Brazilian national being prosecuted in Brazilian courts for alleged actions under their jurisdiction. He is accused of working to undermine the results of a democratic election in Brazil and plotting a coup d’état. Using the full weight of the American economy to interfere with these proceedings on behalf of a friend is a gross misuse of power, undermines America’s influence in Brazil and could derail our broader interests in the region. Your Administration’s announcement on July 18, 2025, of visa sanctions against Brazilian judiciary officials working on Mr. Bolsonaro’s case indicates – once more – your Administration’s willingness to prioritize your personal agenda over than the interests of the American people.
Your actions would increase costs for American families and businesses. Americans import more than $40 billion annually from Brazil, including nearly $2 billion worth of coffee. U.S.-Brazil trade supports nearly 130,000 jobs in the United States which are put at risk through threats of steep tariffs. Brazil has also vowed to retaliate, and you have preemptively vowed to retaliate in kind – meaning that U.S. exporters will suffer and taxes on imports for Americans will rise beyond your threatened 50 percent level.
A trade war with Brazil will also work to drive Brazil closer to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) at a time when the U.S. needs to aggressively counter PRC influence in Latin America. Chinese state-owned and state-connected firms are investing heavily in Brazil, including multiple port projects underway, and recently the China State Railway Group entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to study a transcontinental railway project.
These considerations are not unique to Brazil. Throughout Latin America, the PRC is working to enhance its influence through its Belt and Road Initiative. We are concerned that your actions to undermine an independent judicial system will only enhance skepticism of American influence throughout the region and provide PRC officials and state-backed companies enhanced credibility for their agenda. The same trend is also occurring in East and Southeast Asia.
The overriding goals of the U.S. in Latin America must be enhancing mutually beneficial economic relationships, promoting free and fair democratic elections and countering PRC influence. We urge you to reconsider your actions and prioritize the economic interests of Americans who want predictability, not another trade war.
Sincerely,
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