On July 9 local time, US President Trump posted letters on social media addressed to Brunei, Algeria, Moldova, Iraq, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Libya and Brazil.

Trump said that the US will impose a 20% tariff on products from the Philippines starting from August 1, 2025, a 25% tariff on products from Brunei and Moldova, a 30% tariff on products from Algeria, Iraq, Sri Lanka and Libya, and a 50% tariff on products from Brazil.

Brazil’s vice president: US tariff hikes are unfair.

On July 9, Brazil’s vice president and minister of development, industry, trade and services, Geraldo Alckmin, said that the US announcement of new tariffs on Brazilian goods is unfair. He said that the US has a trade surplus with Brazil, but still raises tariffs, and Brazil “sees no reason” for the US to do so. Alckmin also said that imposing tariffs on Brazilian products will harm the US economy itself because there is integration in the trade field.

Take steel as an example: Brazil is the third-largest buyer of metallurgical coal from the US, and Brazil produces semi-finished products that are then exported to the US for final processing. Therefore, raising tariffs will only make the US’ own industrial chain more expensive.