Brazil formally requested consultations at the World Trade Organization on 6 Aug 2025 after the United States began enforcing a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports, according to the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo. Brasília argues that the surcharge, described by the White House as a response to Brazilian government actions deemed a threat to U.S. national security and freedom of expression, violates WTO rules. The move initiates the dispute-settlement process at the Geneva-based body and gives the two governments up to 60 days to negotiate before Brazil can seek the creation of a WTO panel. The 50 percent levy is among the highest applied by Washington and comes four months after the United States imposed a separate 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods.