Trump Has No Plans to Back Flávio Bolsonaro's Claim to Lead Brazil, Reuters Says

The Trump administration does not plan to back Flávio Bolsonaro's claim to be Brazil's rightful leader, Reuters reports. A U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter said so on Thursday, speaking anonymously.

That is despite the administration helping the defeated candidate reach the United States. The sources said President Donald Trump could still change his mind.

No Plans to Back the Claim

The two sources said Trump has no current plans to support Bolsonaro's political ambitions. The administration did allow him into the country.

Trump has said Brazil's election looked “rigged.” He has also stressed that he offered no endorsement in the race. A third U.S. official said Bolsonaro's political capital has fallen now that he is in self-exile.

Many Brazilian conservatives expected him to lead the opposition. Reuters says many of them have criticized his flight. The White House referred questions to the State Department, which did not reply. The Brazilian government and a representative for Bolsonaro did not respond to Reuters.

How Bolsonaro Reached the U.S.

Reuters reports that the departure was a last-second decision. It followed a Supreme Court order to hand over his passport, granted at the request of federal police. Police are investigating him over two alleged money-laundering schemes.

Argentine authorities said Bolsonaro, his wife and two daughters crossed a bridge into northern Argentina at 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday. They boarded a chartered aircraft at 11:30 p.m. and flew to Miami via Ecuador.

A person familiar with the matter said Jason Miller helped arrange the flight from Argentina. Miller is a Trump adviser close to the Bolsonaro family. Clash Report has covered the New York Times report on the White House role in his departure.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recommended to Trump that Bolsonaro be admitted, a U.S. official said. Trump signed off on the recommendation.

State Department officials then worked with Department of Homeland Security staff to find a legal route. U.S. authorities granted the family humanitarian parole at the border. That is a temporary status for urgent humanitarian concerns or significant public interest.

It is unclear how Bolsonaro traveled about 750 miles (1,300 km) from Brasília to the border bridge. It is also unclear how he left Brazil without customs officials knowing. Bolsonaro contacted multiple U.S. officials during the journey, one official said.

Trump and Lula

On Wednesday, Bolsonaro posted an open letter on X declaring himself “the elected president.” He deleted it and posted another letter calling himself Brazil's rightful “leader.”

Trump has said he gets along with Lula, 81, who won reelection by 3.5 percentage points. “I like Lula, I get along with him very well,” he told reporters on Monday. “I just think it had a very bad look, the election.”

Asked about Bolsonaro's claim on Wednesday, Trump said he would not get involved. Clash Report has covered Trump's remarks on staying out of the dispute.

Reuters says the administration's posture suggests Trump may be reluctant to cause a fresh crisis with Brazil. Some Brazilian officials told Reuters that Bolsonaro's departure helps Lula by weakening the conservative opposition in Congress.

Strained U.S.-Brazil Ties

Bolsonaro's father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is imprisoned for attempting a self-coup after losing the 2022 election. The U.S. sanctioned the judge overseeing his trial last year. Washington lifted the sanctions after Trump and Lula had a notably cordial exchange at the UN General Assembly.

During the campaign, Brazil objected to what it called attempts by some U.S. officials to boost Bolsonaro's bid. The government has refused to seat the incoming U.S. ambassador, a close Rubio ally, partly over those objections.

Reuters reported last week that two conservative State Department officials pushed for the Brazil sanctions. They also pushed for terrorist designations of two Brazilian crime groups, measures aimed at tilting the election in Bolsonaro's favor.