Ex-U.S. Ambassador Says Trump Dropped Bolsonaro After His Conviction

Overview

• In an interview with BBC Brasil, John Feeley said President Donald Trump saw Jair Bolsonaro as a “loser” once he was convicted and jailed.
• Feeley argued that Trump shows little interest in Brazil and makes impulsive, personalistic foreign-policy decisions.
• He attributed the administration’s early response to lobbying by Eduardo Bolsonaro and well-connected Washington intermediaries.
• The U.S. slapped steep tariffs in July and sanctioned Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes under the Magnitsky Act on July 30, then lifted the extra 40% tariffs on Nov. 21 and revoked the sanctions on Dec. 12.
• Reporting notes the U.S. eased pressure after Bolsonaro’s legal defeat, with Feeley portraying the reversal as political calculation rather than a diplomatic win for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.