Trump’s New Tariffs on Brazil are Punishment for Efforts to Rein in Big Tech’s Power
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Late last night, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has announced a 25% tariff on Brazilian exports to the U.S. This follows from a Section 301 investigation into Brazil, which found that various Brazilian policies are “unreasonable and burden or restrict U.S. commerce.”
The policies being targeted by the Trump administration include social media regulations that aim to prevent the spread of electoral misinformation and the establishment of the “Pix” national digital payments system that seeks to support financial inclusion and banking system competition.
Melinda St Louis, Director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, has testified twice before the USTR on this issue. She issued the issued the following statement:
“The Trump administration’s decision to impose a 25% tariff on Brazil based on this so-called investigation is just the latest evidence of the Trump administration’s commitment to Big Tech CEOs and their global deregulatory agenda.
“This sham investigation was started in the wake of President Trump’s temper tantrum over an independent Brazilian court’s treatment of his fellow coup-attempter Jair Bolsonaro. The USTR’s investigation does nothing to create U.S. jobs or help small businesses, but continues Trump’s pattern of misusing trade tools to coerce countries into concessions favorable for his billionaire (and trillionaire?) buddies.
“This charade threatens the legitimacy of the genuine investigations needed to combat actual trade cheating and to support U.S. workers. It also sends a clear message to other countries — that the U.S. will punish them for putting in place commonsense, public interest regulations.
“The Trump administration is expected to use other looming Section 301 investigations to recreate the global tariff architecture rejected by the Supreme Court, making this outcome a concerning preview of coming attractions.”
For More Information, See:
- Public Citizen’s comments to the USTR’s hearing on imposition of tariffs against Brazil
- Public Citizen’s comments submitted to the Section 301 investigation
- Rep. Linda Sánchez, Ranking Member of the Trade Subcommittee: “Brazil tariffs show Trump’s 301 investigation was sham from start”
- Public Citizen’s testimony at the initial Section 301 hearing
- Analysis: Trump’s Bizarre, Authoritarian, Big Tech-Friendly Tariffs on Brazil