Brazilian products are subject to a 50% tariff not because of Brazil’s trade policies, but because of Trump’s relationship with Brazil's former president.

The Treasury Department said it was freezing U.S. assets belonging to Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, accusing him of undermining freedom of expression.

Donald Trump has vowed to impose tariffs on Brazil and sanction the judge trying former president Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged coup attempt. The US President has vowed to slap the South American nation with 50 per cent tariffs from Friday unless they call off what he called the "witch hunt" of Bolsonaro.