The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it is imposing a 25% tariff on certain imports from Brazil following a yearlong investigation into unfair trade practices.
U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer said the action was taken at President Trump’s direction under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 after officials determined that several Brazilian policies were harming American businesses, workers, and farmers.
The investigation examined Brazil’s policies involving digital trade, electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, anti-corruption enforcement, intellectual property protections, ethanol market access, and illegal deforestation.
In June, USTR determined that certain Brazilian practices were unreasonable and restricted U.S. commerce, leading officials to propose tariff action. The agency later reviewed more than 360 public comments and held a July hearing where 77 witnesses testified before finalizing the tariffs.
Greer said the tariffs are part of the administration’s “America First” trade policies, arguing that Brazil’s practices have limited American access to a market of more than 210 million consumers. The U.S. said it spent months negotiating with Brazilian officials, including formal consultations in April, but the disputes remained unresolved.
