Brazil has condemned the United States' decision to impose a 25% tariff on imports, vowing to retaliate against the move.
The office of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated that there is "no justification for unilateral measures against our country." The tariffs target imports from Brazil, though some key items, including beef, coffee, certain fruits, and aircraft parts, have been exempted.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Lula and his government of failing to negotiate in good faith after months of meetings. "Lula has put his own ego ahead of making a deal for the welfare of the Brazilian people, and these tariffs are the price for that," Rubio stated.
This action marks the first country targeted under the Trump administration's new tariff strategy, which centers on Section 301 of U.S. trade law. This approach follows a Supreme Court ruling that limited the executive branch's authority to impose broad import taxes by declaring a national emergency. The ruling invalidated previous tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on nearly all imports, including reciprocal duties and levies linked to the fentanyl crisis.