What to Know About Bolsonaro’s Coup Trial in Brazil

President Trump said he is watching the ‘witch hunt’ trial very closely and has vowed to impose 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian imports.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reacts during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Camboriú, Brazil, on July 7, 2024. Pedro H. Tesch/Getty Images

In just two years, Jair Bolsonaro has gone from being president of Brazil to facing a trial for charges of orchestrating an attempted coup, being placed under house arrest, and being banned from social media.

Prosecutors accuse the former military officer of leading a plot to overturn the 2022 election results, an allegation that he denies.