WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump made good on a threat to hike tariffs on imports from Brazil to a whopping 50% ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline for nations to strike trade deals with his administration or see their rates increase.
Trump also moved forward with a 50% tariff on copper products, including pipes, wires, cables and other electrical components, aimed at reducing what his administration described as an “unsustainable dependence” on foreign materials.
The president previously said he’d pursue the tariffs but signed documents on July 30 making them official, the White House said. The tariff on copper products will go into effect on Aug. 1.
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Trump also directed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to require that 25% of high-quality copper scrap that is produced in the United States be sold in America.
The White House cited national security concerns following a Section 232 trade investigation for the tariff on copper, which it said is the Defense Department’s second-most used material. Copper is used in ships, submarines, missiles, aircraft and ammunition.
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Trump previously introduced 50% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. He has also said he’ll put tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceutical products.
The president also took aim at India on July 30, saying he’d slap the country with a 25% tariff − and possibly more.
Trump in a Truth Social post said India would pay an additional penalty for purchasing weapons and energy from Russia. He told reporters later in the day that India’s participation in the BRICS economic group also weighed on his decision making.
The BRICS group – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – has discussed creating an alternative to the dollar.
“We’re not going to let anybody attack the dollar,” Trump said.
The Bolsonaro ‘coup’ factor
The White House said that the Brazil tariff rate reflected the “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.”
Trump has cited the Brazilian criminal case against former President Jair Bolsonaro as partial justification for the heavy tariffs. Bolsonaro, a Trump ally, is accused of participating in an coup attempt after he lost his race for reelection in 2022.
Trump called the Bolsonaro charges a “witch hunt.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump slaps Brazil with whopping 50% tariffs
