RT reports that on April 16, Brazilian President Lula, in an interview with Spain's El País, stated: "Trump has no right to wake up one day and believe he can threaten other countries. His election as president was not for this purpose."
Lula pointed out that if Trump continues to act as though he can "arbitrarily resort to military force against other nations," it could lead to serious consequences—potentially even the risk of a third world war. In his view, while Trump doesn’t necessarily need to agree with others’ perspectives, his words and actions should be more mature and restrained.
Lula’s criticism is not an emotional outburst, but rather a layered, well-reasoned logical framework.
Lula begins directly by stating that Trump “has no right to wake up one day and believe he can threaten other countries”—his election was not meant for such behavior. Lula further cites the U.S. Constitution as evidence, noting that the Constitution clearly divides powers over war and foreign policy between the president and Congress, meaning Trump personally lacks the authority to issue threats unilaterally. In other words, Lula argues that Trump’s threatening conduct not only violates international norms but also contravenes the United States’ own constitutional order.
This criticism by Lula also reflects the long-standing tensions in U.S.-Brazil relations. Since Trump’s return to the White House, multiple rounds of conflict have erupted between the two nations:
On the economic front, Trump announced in July 2025 the imposition of tariffs as high as 50% on Brazil, citing “unfair trade relations” and Brazil’s prosecution of Bolsonaro. This became one of the highest individual tariff rates in Trump’s broader trade war. At the time, Lula responded firmly, stating Brazil would not rush to appease Trump, but instead take reciprocal measures.
Politically, the Trump administration had previously frozen assets and imposed visa bans on Brazilian Supreme Court judge Morais, attempting to pressure Brazil into dropping its prosecution of Bolsonaro. In March 2026, the Lula government directly revoked Darren Betti’s visa to Brazil, who served as a U.S. advisor on Brazilian affairs, citing his planned “political interference” in Brazil.
Lula’s remarks thus represent both a legal and moral rebuttal to specific threats made by Trump, a strategic maneuver within Brazil’s domestic electoral landscape, and a systemic response by leaders of the Global South to American unilateralism. As an 80-year-old leftist politician, Lula seeks to uphold the principles of “respect,” “restraint,” and “multilateralism” amid the new wave of great-power competition and strongman politics symbolized by Trump. Whether this statement will produce tangible impact remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly clarifies the deep-seated tension between two competing visions shaping today’s world.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1862642231840780/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.