Donald Trump stated he does not intend to become involved in Brazilian political affairs when questioned about a letter released by Flávio Bolsonaro.
The U.S. President confirmed that the United States granted entry authorization to the Brazilian senator and his family, but he once again raised questions, without presenting evidence, regarding aspects of the Brazilian election.
In the interview, Trump declared that he governs the United States, not Brazil, while noting that he maintains a good relationship with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Flávio Bolsonaro published an open letter thanking Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei for the support he reportedly received to leave Brazil.
The initial version of the letter presented Flávio as the “true president-elect of the country.” Approximately half an hour later, the wording was amended to “leader of Brazil.”
The senator questioned the fairness of the election, despite the results being officially certified by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and recognized by the Organization of American States (OAS) alongside numerous foreign governments.
Flávio arrived in Miami on Wednesday (28), accompanied by his wife and two daughters, after traveling through Argentina and Ecuador.
The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Democrats, criticized the decision to grant visas to the senator and his family.
The Union of Professional Journalists of the Federal District issued a statement highlighting the importance of providing proper context when reporting claims that question the Brazilian electoral process.
Trump Confirms Entry Authorization
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday (28) that he does not intend to intervene in Brazilian politics following the arrival of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ)—who was defeated in the presidential election—in the United States. Asked about potential actions regarding the Brazilian election, Trump declared that his responsibility is to govern the United States, not Brazil, though he did question aspects of the vote counting.
Trump confirmed that the U.S. government granted entry authorization to the Brazilian senator and his family. Commenting on the electoral outcome, he stated that he found the vote tabulation process unusual and criticized the extension of polling hours.
Trump subsequently added that he likes President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and maintains a good relationship with him. Nevertheless, he expressed that the election had a negative appearance due to the way results were compiled and the extended voting hours.
The statements coincided with the publication of a letter by Flávio Bolsonaro thanking Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei for their reported assistance in his departure from Brazil.
When asked directly about the senator’s letter, Trump declined to comment on its specific contents:
“I am not going to comment on that, but I know we gave him authorization to enter the country. But I am not going to get involved. It was a very strange election, that’s for sure,” Trump declared.
When asked if he intended to take any action regarding the Brazilian election, Trump reiterated that he governs the United States. He reaffirmed his positive relationship with Lula while reiterating criticisms regarding vote counting methods and extended polling hours.
Trump’s remarks followed public statements by Flávio Bolsonaro challenging the election results. Neither Trump’s criticisms nor the allegations made by the senator were accompanied by evidence demonstrating electoral fraud.
Senator’s Open Letter Revised Within One Hour
Upon arriving in the United States, Flávio Bolsonaro published an open letter to the public thanking Presidents Donald Trump and Javier Milei for the support he claimed to have received to leave Brazil.
The original version of the document referred to the senator as the “true president-elect of the country.” Approximately thirty minutes later, that version was retracted and replaced with a revised text altering the phrase to “leader of Brazil.”
In the letter, Flávio alleged that the Brazilian election was fraudulent, though he provided no evidence to substantiate the claim. He also criticized the decision by Supreme Court (STF) Justice Cristiano Zanin to extend voting hours until 7:00 PM on election day. The operational extension had responded to formal requests submitted by both the Liberal Party (PL) and Workers’ Party (PT) campaigns.
The senator’s claims run counter to the official certification of the result by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). The election outcome was also recognized by the Organization of American States (OAS), international heads of state, and Flávio’s own political party, the PL.
In the second-round runoff held on Sunday (25), Lula received approximately 64 million votes compared to just over 59 million for Flávio. The two-hour extension in polling hours accounted for 34,393 votes tallied after 5:00 PM out of an eligible voting population of approximately 158.7 million voters.
Opposition Leadership from Abroad and Legal Inquiries
In his letter, Flávio Bolsonaro announced plans to direct the political opposition against the Lula administration from U.S. soil.
“Therefore, I will lead the opposition from here. I will say what those of you there cannot say, and I will take the risks that you cannot take,” the senator wrote, addressing PL lawmakers remaining in Brazil.
The text also criticized the order issued by STF Justice Alexandre de Moraes, which had prohibited Flávio from leaving Brazil and required the surrender of his personal and diplomatic passports to the Federal Police. The directive was issued following a Federal Police petition citing flight risk amid ongoing investigations involving the senator.
Flávio is currently named in two active Supreme Court inquiries:
- Sports Betting Investigation: Examines alleged money laundering involving sports betting platforms alongside attorney Willer Tomaz. Both deny any wrongdoing.
- Film Financing Investigation: Examines financial transactions surrounding the production of Dark Horse, a biographical film chronicling Jair Bolsonaro’s political career.
Flávio’s travel to the United States occurred on Wednesday (28) after he and his family traveled through Argentina and Ecuador. The initial draft of his letter featured an emblem bearing the archaic spelling “Estados Unidos do Brazil” (with a “z”), an official designation retired in March 1967. The revised version updated the emblem to read “República Federativa do Brasil.”
U.S. House Democrats and Journalists Union React
The entry of Flávio Bolsonaro and his family into the United States prompted swift reactions within American and Brazilian political circles.
On Wednesday morning, the Democratic majority on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee criticized the Trump administration’s decision to grant visas to the Brazilian senator and his family.
In a public statement on social media, the committee contrasted the treatment provided to the Bolsonaro family with current U.S. immigration policy applied to individuals fleeing global conflict zones:
“No asylum for people fleeing war in Sudan or conflicts in Haiti, but [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio is rolling out the red carpet for Bolsonaro,” the statement read.
Domestically, the Union of Professional Journalists of the Federal District (SJPDF) issued a statement warning that reproducing unverified claims without proper context contributes to the spread of misinformation.
The union noted that media coverage of Flávio Bolsonaro’s claims frequently omitted the legal implications surrounding coordination with foreign governments or entities aimed at causing domestic destabilization. The organization emphasized that journalism must go beyond repeating quotes to provide verified, contextualized facts to the public.
With information from Agência Brasil
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