Trump Urges Brazil to Halt 'Witch Hunt' Against Bolsonaro

Trump's comments come amid legal challenges faced by Bolsonaro, who is accused of attempting a coup against Brazil's current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stepped into Brazilian politics, urging authorities in Brazil to end their proceedings against former President Jair Bolsonaro, deeming them a "witch hunt." Bolsonaro, who served as Brazil's president from 2019 to 2022, currently stands trial for allegedly attempting a coup against the incumbent president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has firmly denied any wrongdoing.

In a post shared on social media, Trump declared Bolsonaro "not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE" and implored prosecutors to "LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!" In response, Brazil’s current president Lula asserted the country’s sovereignty and stated, "No one is above the law," emphasizing that no one should threaten freedom and the rule of law.

Previously, Trump praised Bolsonaro as a "strong leader" on his platform Truth Social, drawing parallels between Bolsonaro's legal troubles and his own experiences with legal challenges while in office. Trump remarked that Bolsonaro's prosecution is merely an attack on a political opponent, a situation he claimed to be familiar with.

Bolsonaro acknowledged Trump's support, framing his trial as "clear political persecution" through a social media statement. Brazilian officials have expressed discontent with Trump's comments, with Minister of Institutional Affairs Gleisi Hoffmann criticizing the notion of U.S. interference. She remarked, "The time when Brazil was subservient to the U.S. was during Bolsonaro's presidency," demanding that the U.S. respect Brazil's sovereign rights.

This political back-and-forth coincides with Lula's engagement in hosting leaders from nations at a Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro, which comes on the heels of Trump's threats of imposing additional tariffs on countries allied with the Brics bloc, termed by Trump as "anti-American."

During their overlapping presidencies, Trump and Bolsonaro forged a strong alliance, frequently meeting in Washington and supporting one another's political agendas. However, both faced electoral defeats, with neither recognizing the outcome publicly.

After Lula took office in January 2023, a large group of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasilia, an act described by federal investigators as an attempted coup. Bolsonaro denied any connection to the rioters and was in the U.S. at the time. He has been barred from public office until 2030 due to false claims about electoral fraud but has vowed to appeal and run for the presidency again in 2026.

In a recent court appearance, Bolsonaro condemned the thought of a coup as "abominable." If convicted of the allegations, he could face a lengthy prison sentence.