Brazil Demands Probe Into Alleged Trump Funding of Far-Right Groups

Brazil’s federal government has formally requested a criminal investigation into whether the U.S. government under Donald Trump funneled $1 million to local organizations targeting the country's Supreme Court. On October 1, 2026, the Attorney General’s Office (AGU) filed a formal request with the Federal Police and the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGR). The move escalates bilateral tensions and highlights deep concerns over foreign interference in domestic politics.

The AGU's petition, signed by Attorney General Jorge Messias, is based on an investigative report by the British newspaper The Guardian. The report alleges that the U.S. State Department diverted $1 million from its Human Rights and Democracy Fund to finance a program titled "Combating Lawfare and Censorship in Brazil". According to the AGU, these resources were allegedly used to support civil society groups and networks actively working to delegitimize Brazil's Supreme Court (STF).

In the official filing, Messias stated that foreign funding aimed at undermining Brazil's democratic institutions violates constitutional principles of national sovereignty, independence, and non-intervention. The AGU's National Procuracy for the Defense of Democracy, which initiated the petition, emphasized that receiving foreign capital to orchestrate systematic attacks on the justice system constitutes a grave breach of domestic law. The federal government is now demanding that investigators identify the local recipients of these American funds.

The timing of the request is highly sensitive, coming just days before Brazil's municipal elections. The Supreme Court, particularly Justice Alexandre de Moraes, has been at the center of a fierce political battle over online disinformation, leading to high-profile clashes with international figures like Elon Musk and conservative U.S. politicians. Brazilian authorities view the alleged funding as part of a broader, coordinated effort by the global far-right to destabilize the country's judicial institutions.

Moving forward, the Federal Police and Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet will evaluate the AGU's request to determine whether to open a formal joint inquiry. If the probe proceeds, it could lead to criminal charges against Brazilian political figures or organizations found to have illegally accepted foreign campaign or operational funding. The U.S. State Department has not yet issued an official response to the allegations or the requested investigation.