US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order implementing a 50% tariff on various imports from Brazil, effective on August 6. This new levy, which replaces a prior 10% rate, is described by the White House as a response to Brazil's recent policies, practices, and actions that threaten US national security, foreign policy, and economy.

The tariff includes a grace period for goods shipped before August 6 and arriving in the US by October 5. Exemptions from the higher rate cover energy commodities, silicon metal, pig iron, civil aircraft parts, metallurgical grade aluminum, tin ore, wood pulp, orange pulp and juice, precious metals, and fertilizers. Despite earlier indications, Brazil-origin coffee is not on the exemption list.

This measure comes even though the US typically maintains a trade surplus with Brazil.