Trump administration revokes Brazilian ambassador’s visa in diplomatic dispute

BrazilTrump administration revokes Brazilian ambassador’s visa in diplomatic disputeThe action was retaliation for Brazil’s withholding formal approval for the Trump administration’s pick for U.S. ambassador to Brazil.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasilia last month. Mateus Bonomi / Anadolu via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAug. 4, 2026, 9:38 PM EDTBy Abigail WilliamsThe Trump administration revoked the visa of Brazil’s U.S. ambassador Tuesday — the latest jab in a monthslong diplomatic spat between the two countries. The U.S. action was taken in retaliation for Brazil’s withholding formal approval for the Trump administration’s pick for U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, a senior State Department official told reporters Tuesday.The official, who spoke on behalf of the State Department on condition of anonymity, said Brazil has indicated the approval is likely to be delayed until after its election in October. The tit-for-tat has been ongoing since at least March, when Brazil denied visas to a U.S. delegation traveling to a critical minerals forum, the U.S. official said. In July, Brazil also denied visas to two U.S. officials, accusing them of plotting to meddle in Brazil’s electoral process. “This week we had to deny visas to two young folks they were sending to Brazil to meddle in Brazil’s elections,” Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said at an event last Wednesday. The senior State Department official denied the accusations and said the assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor, Riley M. Barnes, and one of his deputies, Samuel Samson, “were making a routine trip” and were “denied the ability to do routine, common work between the two countries.”“We’ve taken reciprocal action with respect to the Brazilian diplomat here to make the point that it can’t always be one-sided,” the senior State Department official said. “If ther...