RIO, BRAZIL, JULY 14, 2025 - When Donald Trump threatened Brazil with punishing 50% tariffs this week, demanding the halt of former President Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial, he may have miscalculated. Instead of capitulation, he got defiance. Instead of submission, he sparked a masterclass in sovereignty from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that could reshape how emerging economies respond to American economic coercion.

