Trump signs executive order imposing 50% tariff on Brazil, cites national security concerns

Trump signs executive order imposing 50% tariff On Brazil

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a 50% tariff on imports from Brazil, the White House announced.

According to a fact sheet released with the order, the move was prompted by recent actions and policies of the Brazilian government, which the U.S. deems a serious threat to its national security, foreign policy, and economic interests.

“President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order implementing an additional 40 percent tariff on Brazil, bringing the total tariff amount to 50 percent, to deal with recent policies, practices, and actions by the Government of Brazil that constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States," the statement read.

"The Order declares a new national emergency using the President's authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) and establishes an additional 40% tariff to address the Government of Brazil's unusual and extraordinary policies and actions harming U.S. companies, the free speech rights of U.S. persons, U.S. foreign policy, and the U.S. Economy," it noted.

The White House order also noted the Brazilian government's legal actions against its former President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters were human rights violations that have weakened the rule of law in the South American country.

"The Order finds that the Government of Brazil's politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment, censorship, and prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and thousands of his supporters are serious human rights abuses that have undermined the rule of law in Brazil," the order read.

Earlier in the month, Trump threatened a 50 per cent tariff on imports from Brazil, starting August 1 and called for the end of the trial for the far-right leader Bolsonaro, who had bragged about his closeness to Trump, calling the trial a "witch hunt."

(With agency inputs)