Trump Issues Second Tranche of Tariff Letters, New Brazil Threat

President Donald Trump has released a second batch of letters to countries letting them know what tariff rate their exports will face from Aug. 1, including a letter for Brazil, which had previously only been subject to the 10% baseline rate.

On Wednesday, Trump posted letters addressed to leaders in the Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Iraq, Libya, and Sri Lanka. The letters come on the back of 14 letters sent Monday, including those sent to South Korea and Japan.

Trump had previewed further letters on Tuesday evening, promising to release letters to at least seven countries on Wednesday.

The administration’s 90-day tariff reprieve for country-specific reciprocal tariffs was set to expire on Wednesday, but the president signed an executive order on Monday formally moving the deadline to Aug. 1.

The U.S. enjoys a goods trade surplus with Brazil. Accordingly, the country was not initially subject to higher country-specific duties beyond the 10% baseline tariff unveiled on April 2. However, Trump posted a letter addressed to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to his Truth Social account Wednesday that threatened the country with new 50% duties – ostensibly over the country’s treatment of its former President Jair Bolsonaro and Brazil’s constraints on social media platforms.

Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled that social media companies are liable for illegal content on their platforms and are required to remove content promoting anti-democratic activities, alongside other criminal content. Bolsonaro is also on trial at Brazil’s Supreme Court over accusations that he plotted a coup to cling to power after he lost the 2022 Brazilian election.

“The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace,” Trump wrote. “This trial should not be taking place.”

As with the other letters Trump has sent in recent days, the president reiterated that any tariff retaliation would be met with further U.S. tariff hikes.

In addition to the higher duties, the president also said that the U.S. would launch an investigation into unfair trading practices employed by Brazil to distort trade — known as a Section 301 investigation. Similar investigations in Trump’s first term were used to apply tariffs to U.S. imports form China.

The tariff rates unveiled for the other partners on Wednesday are broadly in line with the rates each country was set to face under the April 2 plan. The Philippines saw a slight bump in its rate – from 17% to 20%. Meanwhile, Moldova saw a slight drop, from 31% to 25%. Algeria’s rate remained the same at 30% and Brunei and Libya saw a one percentage point increase and one percentage point drop, respectively. The most significant movers were Iraq, which was set to face a 39% rate, but saw it reduced to 30%, and Sri Lanka, which saw its rate fall from 44% to 30%. 

All eyes remain on how the president will handle trading partners like the European Union, which appeared close to a deal before the tariff deadline was extended. Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. was “two days” off sending the bloc a letter outlining its new tariff rate. But across the Atlantic, officials say they remain committed to securing a deal to avoid any higher duties.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post to X Wednesday morning that the EU continues “to work in good faith” with the Trump administration.

In comments to reporters on Wednesday, spokesperson Olof Gill echoed the president’s comments and teased a deal as soon as this week.

“The United States has moved its deadline,” Gill said, “however we aim to reach a deal before then, potentially even in the coming days.”

EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday, Gill said. He also has plans to speak with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Wednesday.

So far in Trump’s second administration, tariff deadlines have proven fluid, with the administration punting, and later narrowing, tariffs on Mexico and Canada and delaying the steepest tariff hikes adopted under the April 2 tariff rollout. But on Wednesday, the president took to Truth Social to assure countries that this time, the deadline will hold firm.

“As per letters sent to various countries yesterday, in addition to letters that will be sent today, tomorrow, and for the next short period of time, TARIFFS WILL START BEING PAID ON AUGUST 1, 2025,” he wrote. “[T]here will be no change… No extensions will be granted.”

This article was originally published by Agri-Pulse. Agri-Pulse is a trusted source in Washington, D.C., with the largest editorial team focused on food and farm policy coverage.