Flávio Bolsonaro's Arrival in the U.S. Gains Trump's Endorsement

In a statement made upon his return from a campaign trip to Texas, President Donald Trump expressed his support for Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro arriving in the United States. Speaking to journalists at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Trump openly welcomed the senator and his family.

When asked directly if he would approve Bolsonaro's travel to the U.S., Trump confidently responded, "Well, I would approve it. I think they are good people."

Trump also criticized the Brazilian electoral process held on October 25, where Flávio faced defeat against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. "The elections were very strange, and they seemed terrible to me. They've received bad reviews. Just look at what happened to their market," Trump remarked, as reported by Reuters.

While clarifying his stance during the campaign, Trump emphasized, "I find it terrible to see it. I didn't take sides, you know? I know them both. I know Lula. I know Flávio a bit. I know the father very well."

Regarding the election's outcome, Trump added, "The final result is fine, but the way they reached that final result was terrible."

Pressed about the senator's whereabouts, Trump admitted he was unsure, stating, "I heard he was in Argentina. I don't know where he is."

Concerning former President Jair Bolsonaro—sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison by the Supreme Federal Court in September 2025 for leading a coup attempt—Trump was definitive: "I thought the father was treated very badly. But I wasn't involved. That's Brazil. It's a different country."

The Escape of Flávio Bolsonaro

Trump's comments come amid a high-profile legal crisis. Flávio Bolsonaro left Brazil, defying a judicial order by Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, which mandated him to surrender his passports within 24 hours and prohibited him from leaving the country due to an investigation into alleged money laundering, currency evasion, and corruption.

Flávio acknowledged the circumstances in a video shared on social media, stating, "I was ordered right there, on the street, to hand over my passports, and I'm also banned from leaving the country."

After failing to meet the deadline, the Brazilian Federal Police canceled his passports on Tuesday. Despite this, Flávio Bolsonaro departed for the United States with his wife, Fernanda, and their daughters, Carolina and Luiza, crossing into Argentina on Monday night via the Tancredo Neves International Bridge, as confirmed by the Argentine migration agency.

From Puerto Iguazú, they boarded a private Gulfstream G400 jet with eight people on board, stopping in Guayaquil, Ecuador, for a technical layover.

Reports indicate that the family arrived in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, where they were greeted by Eduardo Bolsonaro, Flávio's brother, who also faces an active arrest warrant issued by Judge De Moraes.

U.S. Department of State Confirms Visas

Alongside Trump's endorsement, the United States had already announced it would grant visas to Flávio Bolsonaro and his family. A senior State Department official confirmed to Reuters, AP, EFE, and AFP—on the condition of anonymity—that "the State Department will issue visas to Flávio Bolsonaro and his family, allowing them entry into the United States."

Flávio had previously visited the White House in May 2026, meeting with Trump in the Oval Office during his presidential campaign, promising to incorporate Brazil into the "Shield of the Americas" if elected.

Before these statements, Trump had already questioned the electoral process: during the runoff, he claimed the U.S. was "watching" the Brazilian elections, and following Flávio's defeat, he suggested the elections "seemed rigged."

Flávio Bolsonaro's arrival in Miami positions the United States as the epicenter of Brazil's post-election political crisis, with two of Jair Bolsonaro's sons present on U.S. soil under the implicit protection of the Trump administration.