Trump's Actions against Brazil Will Leave Permanent Scars, Says Former U.S. Government Official

The Brazilian-American who rose highest in the U.S. administration hierarchy, Jana Nelson sees impacts similar to Washingtons support for the military coup

Aug.18.2025 7:39AM

Patrícia Campos Mello

São Paulo
President Donald Trump’s actions against Brazil will leave "permanent scars" on the bilateral relationship, says Jana Nelson, the Brazilian-American who rose highest in the U.S. government hierarchy. For her, there has been a breach of trust with lasting impacts due to the sanctions and tariffs imposed by Trump, and the threats against the Brazilian government and the Supreme Federal Court. "Twenty years from now, people will point back to what is happening today and say: that’s why you can’t trust what the U.S. government says."

Nelson was responsible for relations with Brazil at the State Department for five years and rose to Deputy Secretary of Defense, a position she left in January when Trump took office. The daughter of Americans, she was born and raised in Manaus and moved to the U.S. after graduating in international relations at the University of Brasília.



Jana Nelson. - Divulgação

As a Brazilian-American who worked so many years in the U.S. government, how do you feel about this bilateral crisis?

First, I want to say that what is happening now is unacceptable. The use of an emergency tariff law for coercive purposes, the use of sanctions as revenge, is not normal. That said, the consequences are real and long-term. I dedicated the last 20 years of my career to this bilateral relationship, to translating one country to the other. These are nations much more alike than they think. They are large, with huge domestic economies, with international ambitions, often looking at their own navel.

Historically, there has always been a lot of mistrust between the two sides. I believed we could improve that. It is an issue far bigger than me, but for me it is also emotionally difficult, because what is happening will leave permanent scars. Twenty years from now, people will point back to what is happening today and say: that’s why you can’t trust what the U.S. government says.

More:
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/world/2025/08/trumps-actions-against-brazil-will-leave-permanent-scars-says-former-us-government-official.shtml