Trump's 50 percent tariff on Brazil targets the country's authoritarian regime that has aggressively persecuted Bolsonaro and his right-wing allies while issuing unlawful censorship orders for U.S. social media companies and aligning with China especially in digital infrastructure at the expense of Western digital security. This is a much needed pushback against attacks on democratic institutions and American values.

Trump's tariff threat represents a dangerous and megalomaniacal intervention in Brazil's domestic affairs that undermines democratic institutions. The move punishes Brazil for prosecuting a former president who attempted to overturn election results, essentially using economic coercion to help another wannabe dictator. This action contradicts America's historical role as a force for democracy and peace through trade.