by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued a blistering statement condemning the ongoing prosecution of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, calling the legal proceedings a politically motivated “WITCH HUNT” and warning the Lula administration against targeting a “leader who fought for THE PEOPLE.”
The explosive remarks, posted to Trump’s Truth Social account, escalated diplomatic tensions between the United States and Brazil just as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva hosted a BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro. Trump’s intervention drew swift condemnation from Brazilian officials, who accused the U.S. president of attempting to meddle in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation.
“Brazil is doing a terrible thing in its treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro,” Trump wrote. “I have watched, as has the World, as they have done nothing but come after him, day after day, night after night, month after month, year after year! He is not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE.”
Bolsonaro, who led Brazil from 2019 to 2022, is currently on trial for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2022 election, which he narrowly lost to Lula. Prosecutors allege that Bolsonaro led a “criminal organization” seeking to stage a coup d’état. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison. He is already banned from seeking public office until 2030 due to previous rulings over electoral disinformation.
Trump, who has himself faced a cascade of criminal and civil cases in the U.S., drew parallels between their legal troubles, saying, “This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a Political Opponent — Something I know much about! It happened to me, times 10.”
Brazilian Leaders Reject U.S. Interference
Trump’s remarks drew immediate backlash from the Lula administration. President Lula issued a terse response, declaring, “No one is above the law. Especially those who attack freedom and the rule of law.”
“The defense of democracy in Brazil is a matter for Brazilians,” Lula added. “We won’t accept interference or instruction from anyone. We are a sovereign nation with solid and independent institutions.”
Gleisi Hoffmann, Brazil’s Minister of Institutional Relations, was even more direct. “Donald Trump is seriously mistaken if he thinks he can interfere in the Brazilian judicial process,” she said on X. “The time when Brazil was subservient to the U.S. was during Bolsonaro’s administration, who saluted your flag and did not defend national interests.”
She concluded: “The U.S. president should take care of his own problems, which are not few, and respect the sovereignty of Brazil and our judiciary.”
Bolsonaro and Sons Praise Trump’s Support
Bolsonaro thanked Trump for his show of solidarity, calling it a “message of support” and saying the charges he faces are “a legal aberration… a clear political persecution.” His eldest son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, echoed Trump’s call for the people to decide Bolsonaro’s fate at the ballot box, despite the former president’s disqualification.
Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro added cryptically that Trump’s statement would not be “the only news coming from the United States in the near future,” fueling speculation about coordinated messaging between the two populist figures.
In June, Bolsonaro led a rally in São Paulo to oppose the trial and proclaim his innocence. Speaking in court last month, he said, “A coup is an abominable thing,” distancing himself from the January 8, 2023, storming of Brazilian government buildings by his supporters — an event many likened to the January 6 Capitol riot in Washington.
Populist Alliances and Political Aftershocks
The Trump-Bolsonaro alliance, forged during their overlapping presidencies, continues to shape both domestic and international narratives. Their mutual claims of persecution and electoral injustice resonate deeply with their bases but have drawn scrutiny from democratic institutions.
As Bolsonaro’s trial proceeds and the U.S. gears up for the 2026 election, Trump’s statement signals that he is once again positioning himself as the global figurehead of anti-establishment populism.
“The only trial that should be happening is a trial by the voters of Brazil — it’s called an election,” Trump declared. “LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!”
Whether that rallying cry gains traction with Brazil’s electorate — or further isolates Bolsonaro — remains to be seen.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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