Brazil states it will evaluate all responses to U.S. tariffs
Brazil has announced that it will explore various options in response to U.S. tariffs.
TroibNews 
On Wednesday, the Brazilian government announced that it would evaluate all possible measures in response to the recent U.S. actions, including options at the World Trade Organization, to "counteract the harmful effects of the U.S. measures and protect legitimate national interests."
The implementation of increased tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect on the same day, intensifying his efforts to "reorder global trade in favor of the U.S."
Brazil's Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade released a joint statement highlighting that "these measures will significantly impact Brazilian steel and aluminum exports to the United States, which totaled around $3.2 billion in 2024." The government condemned the U.S. tariff hikes as an "unjustified and mistaken" action, especially considering the "historic cooperation and economic integration between the two nations."
Brazil ranks as the third-largest importer of U.S. steelmaking coal and holds the position of the largest exporter of semi-finished steel to the U.S. The U.S. has consistently maintained a trade surplus with Brazil, which was approximately $7 billion in goods in 2024, according to government figures.
In light of these developments, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has tasked his economic team with initiating dialogue with the Trump administration. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad communicated this directive to reporters on Wednesday following discussions with members of the local steel industry in Brasilia. "President Lula told us to remain calm, noting that in the past we have negotiated under conditions that were even more unfavorable than the current ones," Haddad stated.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
The implementation of increased tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect on the same day, intensifying his efforts to "reorder global trade in favor of the U.S."
Brazil's Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade released a joint statement highlighting that "these measures will significantly impact Brazilian steel and aluminum exports to the United States, which totaled around $3.2 billion in 2024." The government condemned the U.S. tariff hikes as an "unjustified and mistaken" action, especially considering the "historic cooperation and economic integration between the two nations."
Brazil ranks as the third-largest importer of U.S. steelmaking coal and holds the position of the largest exporter of semi-finished steel to the U.S. The U.S. has consistently maintained a trade surplus with Brazil, which was approximately $7 billion in goods in 2024, according to government figures.
In light of these developments, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has tasked his economic team with initiating dialogue with the Trump administration. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad communicated this directive to reporters on Wednesday following discussions with members of the local steel industry in Brasilia. "President Lula told us to remain calm, noting that in the past we have negotiated under conditions that were even more unfavorable than the current ones," Haddad stated.
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
