section_path: Trade conflicts by country/South America/Brazil
section_name: Brazil
paragraph_text: Brazil
  
  The US ran a trade surplus of $253 million with Brazil in 2024. Nonetheless, Trump criticized the country for being a "tremendous tariff maker" and pledged to impose tariffs on its exports. Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva vowed to reciprocate. However, following Trump's 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, Brazilian Institutional Affairs Minister Alexandre Padilha said that Brazil would not retaliate.
  
  On April 2, 2025, Donald Trump imposed the base 10% tariff on Brazil. The reaction from Brazilian exporters was mixed. Coffee exporters saw an opportunity to send more robusta beans to the US due to international rivals being initially hit with heavier charges, while other companies, such as Embraer, worried over rising complexity and costs for their US customers.
  
  On April 3, 2025, Brazil's government stated that it would explore options including involving the World Trade Organization. The Brazilian National Congress passed a "Trade Reciprocity Law", enabling the government to respond to potential unilateral trade measures imposed against Brazilian goods and services. By May 2025, according to statements released by Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, Brazil and the United States were negotiating the terms of an understanding on tariffs.