The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Wednesday against Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. A figure frequently criticized by former President Donald Trump for his role in legal actions involving Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president and a Trump ally.
The sanctions were quickly followed by a 50% tariff on imports from Brazil, announced by the White House. In a statement, the Trump administration linked the tariff directly to de Moraes, describing him as a “tyrannical foreign judge.”
“President Trump is defending American companies from extortion, protecting Americans from political persecution, and safeguarding free speech,” the statement read.
The move comes five months after Trump Media, the former president’s social media company, filed a lawsuit against de Moraes. The suit followed de Moraes’ order directing the video platform Rumble to suspend an account belonging to a politically outspoken user. one that used Rumble through Trump Media’s platform.
Trump has also said that the new tariffs are in part a response to the criminal investigation of Bolsonaro, which he claims is politically motivated.
Justice de Moraes has drawn controversy before. In 2023, he clashed with Elon Musk, then a Trump ally, after banning X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil for failing to block certain user accounts and remove content deemed illegal by Brazilian courts.
U.S. Sanctions Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on a Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice. Alexandre de Moraes, on Wednesday, cited alleged human rights violations, censorship, and politically motivated prosecutions. The move follows strong criticism from former President Donald Trump and comes as tensions rise over legal actions involving former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
In a formal statement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused de Moraes of acting as “judge and jury” in what he called an “unlawful witch hunt” targeting both U.S. and Brazilian citizens and companies. The sanctions will freeze any assets de Moraes may hold in the United States.
“De Moraes is responsible for an oppressive campaign of censorship, arbitrary detentions that violate human rights, and politicized prosecutions, including against former President Jair Bolsonaro,” Bessent said.
“Today’s action makes clear that Treasury will continue to hold accountable those who threaten U.S. interests and the freedoms of our citizens.”
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Shortly after the announcement, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, directly linking the action to de Moraes and his role in the prosecution of Bolsonaro.
This comes five months after Trump Media, the former president’s social media company. Sued de Moraes over his order for the video platform Rumble to suspend the account of a politically active user associated with the company.
According to a July 17 report by The Washington Post, Eduardo Bolsonaro. A Brazilian congressman and son of Jair Bolsonaro has been working closely with the White House to push for sanctions against de Moraes.
De Moraes currently serves as the rapporteur in multiple cases involving Jair Bolsonaro. He sits on a five-judge panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court. That is overseeing Bolsonaro’s trial for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2022 election and stage a coup against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
In 2023, de Moraes also faced backlash from tech leaders, including Elon Musk. After he ordered a nationwide block of X (formerly Twitter) in Brazil for refusing to remove certain user accounts and content under court orders.
