Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
The Trump Administration announced a 25% tariff on most Brazilian imports late Wednesday, effective July 22.
The U.S. has invoked Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, targeting certain Brazilian practices, which include directives to American tech giants like Elon Musk‘s X, Meta Platforms Inc., and Alphabet Inc. to remove specific political content and suspend accounts of U.S. residents.
Other points of contention comprise preferential tariffs for Mexico and India, weak intellectual property enforcement, and barriers in the ethanol market.
The 25% tariff will apply to most Brazilian imports, excluding certain products, such as beef, orange juice, aircraft and aircraft parts, and energy products. Meanwhile, an ongoing U.S. investigation into Brazil’s forced-labor enforcement could lead to an additional 12.5% tariff on Brazilian goods, raising the total duty to 37.5%. A decision on the proposed additional levy is expected next week.
Don’t Miss:
United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer said year-long negotiations with Brazil failed to resolve the identified trade issues, but the U.S. remains willing to continue talks to achieve meaningful reforms.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio took to X and said, “Let there be no confusion about why.” He added that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva‘s government had “not negotiated in good faith” and that the tariffs resulted from Lula “putting his own ego ahead of making a deal.”
“His economic policies are bad for Americans and bad for Brazilians,” wrote Rubio.
Today, President Trump directed USTR to impose a 25% tariff on most Brazilian imports. Let there be no confusion about why: President Lula and his government have not negotiated with the US in good faith.
His economic policies are bad for Americans and bad for Brazilians. For…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 16, 2026
Trending: Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your ‘Safe’ Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time
Brazil Condemns The Decision
Brazil rejected the move, with President Lula calling the decision a “lamentable milestone” in the history of the U.S.-Brazil relationship.
Lula rejected the U.S. measures as unjustified, arguing that the U.S. has recorded a $424.5 billion goods-and-services trade surplus with Brazil over the past 15 years. It said 76% of U.S. imports entered Brazil duty-free in 2025, with an average effective tariff of 3.1%. It criticized investigations conducted outside multilateral trade rules while reiterating its willingness to negotiate in defense of its national interests.
“The Brazilian government repudiates the decision announced today,” the post read.
Nota à imprensa sobre a imposição de tarifas unilaterais contra o Brasil pelos Estados Unidos
O dia 15 de julho de 2026 passará para a história das relações entre Brasil e EUA como um marco lastimável.
O governo brasileiro repudia a decisão anunciada hoje pelo governo dos EUA…
— Lula (@LulaOficial) July 16, 2026
See Also: Skip the Regrets: The Essential Retirement Tips Experts Wish Everyone Knew Earlier.
Trump Expands Tariff Push
This move by Washington is part of a broader strategy to address unfair trade practices globally. The new tariffs follow a February Supreme Court ruling that struck down President Donald Trump‘s earlier 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods, leaving only the 10% global tariff in place.
Trump is now seeking to restore his tariff authority through Section 301 investigations, which allow tariffs on countries deemed to engage in unfair trade practices without requiring congressional approval.
It also comes after Trump, earlier this week, endorsed a revised version of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham‘s Russia sanctions bill that proposes tariffs of at least 500% on countries buying Russian energy, which includes Brazil, India and China.
The tariff dispute has also become a political issue ahead of Brazil’s October presidential election, with President Lula accusing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro of contributing to the U.S. tariffs after his Washington trip. Flavio denied the claim, saying he instead sought to convince the Trump administration to postpone the tariffs until after the election.
Image via Shutterstock
Read Next: Think you’re saving enough for your kids? You might be dangerously off — see why
Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market
Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.
Arrived
Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.
Realberry
Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.
FarmTogether
Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.
Immersed
Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.
Fundrise
Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.
Mode Mobile
Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.
EquityMultiple
For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.
© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
