U.S. and Brazilian Groups Denounce Trump’s Tariff Shakedown to Benefit Big Tech
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Public Citizen and Data Privacy Brasil jointly submitted public comments to the United States Trade Representative’s investigation of certain Brazilian laws and practices, which could potentially result in additional tariffs on top of the current 50% tariffs on Brazil.
“This investigation is nothing but a fig leaf to attempt to justify the illegal tariffs President Trump has placed on Brazil to further his authoritarian political agenda and line the pockets of his Big Tech benefactors,” said Melinda St. Louis, Global Trade Watch Director at Public Citizen. “We urge the U.S. Trade Representative to resist being used as a political tool, as this charade threatens the legitimacy of genuine investigations carried out by the USTR under this statute.”
“It should not be illegal to regulate the tech sector in Brazil. We believe the investigation’s motives are technically weak, especially the allegations regarding digital public infrastructure and personal data protection institutions,” said Rafael Zanatta, co-director of Data Privacy Brasil. “We hope that our joint contribution can redirect the unilateral punitive approach and create stronger foundations for a fair decision by the USTR.”
Key points raised in the comment include:
- The absence of any legal basis for adopting trade sanctions against Brazil by the current U.S. administration and the (mis)use of Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act;
- Brazil’s digital laws, regulations and policies are not unjustified, unfair, unreasonable, or arbitrary, and they do not discriminate against U.S companies. They are justified efforts by a sovereign nation to address the societal impacts of certain digital technologies, including online misinformation and privacy abuse. A number of similar policies have been adopted by U.S. states and proposed by Congress.
- Brazil’s intellectual property laws, specifically those pertaining to pharmaceuticals, provide adequate and effective protection under international obligations and should be respected in line with U.S. commitments to respect trading partners’ rights to adopt measures that further the public interest and protect public health.
Further reading:
- About Data Privacy Brasil
- “Trump’s Bizarre, Authoritarian, Big, Tech-Friendly Tariffs on Brazil” in Common Dreams, July 11, 2025
- “Trump’s Emergency Declaration on Brazil Is a Shameless Power Grab” Public Citizen Statement from July 30, 2025