Trump Helped Bolsonaro Flee Brazil After Election Defeat, NYT Reports

U.S. President Donald Trump and White House aides helped Flávio Bolsonaro flee Brazil and enter the United States after his presidential election defeat, according to a New York Times report citing U.S. officials and a person familiar with the logistics.

The Times reported that Bolsonaro is staying in Florida on a temporary parole status granted following orders from Trump, and that U.S. officials expect him to receive permanent residency later. Bolsonaro has said he "did not flee Brazil" and left because of political persecution.

Passport Order and Border Crossing

Bolsonaro lost the October 25 runoff to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva by 4.4 million votes, according to the Times. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports within 24 hours, and police notified him on Monday, as part of a money-laundering investigation he denies.

He did not comply, and Brazilian authorities canceled his travel documents and barred him from leaving the country. Argentina's immigration agency said Bolsonaro, his wife and their two daughters entered Argentina by land at 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday with valid travel documents. Brazilian federal police said they have no official record of his exit and are investigating.

About 40 minutes later, the family boarded a private jet operated by Baires Fly, a company that has flown Argentine President Javier Milei, the Times said. The plane flew to Guayaquil, Ecuador, to refuel, then on to Miami's Opa-locka airport on Wednesday morning.

White House Official Reportedly Arranged the Jet

The jet was arranged by Jason Miller, a White House communications official who is listed as a special U.S. government employee, according to a person familiar with the logistics cited by the Times. The Wall Street Journal had reported Miller's involvement earlier.

Bolsonaro's brother Eduardo, who lives in Texas, had been in touch with Miller, and the plan was put in motion on Monday after Flávio was told to turn in his passports, the source said. Miller declined to comment, and the White House pointed only to Trump's public remarks, which did not address the jet.

Bolsonaro thanked Milei and Trump after landing. Argentina's government has not acknowledged a role, though Argentine media have reported, without confirmation, that a Milei adviser was involved in the operation.

Trump Says the U.S. "Gave Him a Pass"

Asked about Bolsonaro on Wednesday, Trump said: "We gave him a pass to come into the country, so we'll see. But I won't get involved. It was a very strange election, that's for sure." On Thursday, Trump declined to say who legitimately won the election and said he had not taken sides because Lula asked him to stay out of the dispute.

The Department of Homeland Security said Bolsonaro and his family were "met and inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in accordance with applicable immigration laws and procedures" and then released.

A public U.S. government record suggests Bolsonaro presented a canceled Brazilian diplomatic passport on arrival, according to the Times' review. Parole is a status the U.S. grants for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. A U.S. official told the Times that Bolsonaro's green card application would be processed quickly, as Eduardo's was when he received permanent residency in July.

Lula Calls Departure "Shameful"

Lula called Bolsonaro's departure a "shameful act" at an event on his 81st birthday on Tuesday, according to the Miami Herald, and accused the Bolsonaro family of "licking boots" in the United States.

Bolsonaro has not been formally charged but will lose his parliamentary immunity in early 2027 because he lost the election, the Times said. The White House's help could escalate tensions with Lula, who has accused Trump of interfering in Brazil's internal affairs.