President Lula: Brazil to reciprocate US steel tariffs

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has vowed “reciprocity” on US President Donald Trump’s levy on steel imports.

Lula vowed on Friday to return in kind any tariffs Trump puts on Brazil’s steel, saying, “There is no doubt, there will be reciprocity.”

After Canada, Brazil is the second largest exporter of steel to the US. It sent 4.08 million tons of metal to the country in 2024.

“If they tax Brazilian steel, we will react commercially or file a complaint with the World Trade Organization or tax the products we import from there,” said Lula.

Brazil imports a large number of steel-based manufactured products from the US, including industrial machinery, car engines and parts for its aerospace industry.

“Trump can say what he wants … but he cannot do what he wants because if he does something that has an impact on other countries, there is always a reaction,” said Lula.

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Trump has signed several executive orders for 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports starting March 12.

Since taking office, Trump has announced a broad range of tariffs targeting some of the US’s most important trading partners, claiming they would help tackle these countries’ so-called unfair practices.

“Whatever countries charge the United States of America, we will charge them,” Trump said.

Raising tariffs on imports to the US was one of Trump’s campaign promises. Shortly after taking office, he signed a flurry of executive orders which affected the country’s exports and imports.

Other countries, especially the US’s most important trade partners including Canada, China, Japan and the EU have not backed down from Trump’s threats and have vowed to respond to any taxes he puts on imports to the US, with their own tariffs.

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